Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia resumed their heated war of words while Teofimo Lopez posed as a reporter with a fake beard during a bizarre final press conference in Las Vegas on Thursday.
WBC welterweight champion Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) is set to defend his title for the first time against Benn after clinching the belt against Mario Barrios in February.
Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) meanwhile steps into comfortably the biggest test of his career on the back of April’s win over Regis Prograis and his revenge victory over Chris Eubank Jr.
“Just don’t cuddle me in here. I didn’t come all the way to America for you to cuddle,” said Benn.
Both fighters have previously being caught up in controversy with Garcia testing positive for banned substance ostarine in 2024, while in the same year Benn’s provisional anti-doping suspension for two failed drugs test in 2022 was lifted.
Garcia, who was a no-show for Wednesday’s face-off, was the more animated of the two fighters as he fired insults across the table towards the Brit.
The American’s talking continued during the pair’s face-off, to which Benn simply raised his finger to his lips before exiting the stage.
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Benn hit out at Garcia for ‘bottling it’ after American failed to show up for face-off in Las Vegas (Credit: @Zuffa Boxing)
“He’s going to try real hard, we know that. He’s probably going to have to try to resort to some dirty tactics, so we’ll be prepared for that,” said Garcia.
“And we’re just going to do what we do best, which is stay sharp, be ready for everything, and we’re prepared, man. We’re conditioned 100 percent, and we’ll put on a hell of a show, I promise you that.”
Benn is making a significant cut in weight having twice fought Eubank Jr at middleweight, his last fight at the 10st 7lb welterweight limit coming against Chris van Heerden in April 2022.
Saturday awaits as the 29-year-old’s first-ever world title fight and toughest opponent by some distance.
“I’m not concerned,” said Benn. “I don’t focus on him and what he does, I focus on what I do. I bring tenacity, ferocity, spite, experience. I’ve been here before, I’ve fought in front of 70,000 three times now, on the bounce. So you know I’m here to come and really set the tone from the first round.”
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Benn is relishing his status as the underdog ahead of his fight against Garcia
Among his barrage of insults, Garcia again questioned Benn’s weigh-cut, suggesting he would struggle on the scales the next day.
“I know you’re not on weight, because I can see it in your eyes. You ain’t on weight,” he said. “Hey, you’re going to hit that bathtub tonight, or the bike.”
Garcia took particular offense to Benn questioning his Mexican heritage, while also firing back at his opponent’s father Nigel Benn.
“Come Saturday night when his blood is spilling out his mouth, that will be enough to show him how Mexican I am,” he said.
“I heard his dad talking like he was gonna knock me out. Bet he won’t. Bet he won’t. We can bet whatever too. Your son ain’t gonna knock me out. He couldn’t even knock out Regis. Your dad ain’t right. Your dad lying to you. I hope you know that. Dad lying to you.”
Benn insisted Garcia should “worry about himself”.
“He seems to have enough problems as it is,” he said.
“I don’t look at him, I just worry about myself and don’t cut corners. We’ll see who makes weight tomorrow.”
Another twist to their press conference was a surprise appearance by WBA ‘Super’ welterweight world champion Lopez, who wore a fake beard and introduced himself as ‘Jack Hoffman’ as he asked a question in the crowd.
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