Conor Benn discusses his fight with Peter Dobson this Saturday in Las Vegas and MMA fighters crossing over into boxing.
For undefeated welterweight Conor Benn, the bout between himself and Peter Dobson this Saturday in Las Vegas is another opportunity to showcase his skills and throw down the gauntlet at the feet of boxing’s longtime glamour division.
The 27-year-old son of decorated boxer Nigel Benn has grown his career behind multiple impressive finishes and another display of his skills and power is expected to push him even closer towards potential fights against the superstars of 147 pounds such as Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr, and Jaron Ennis.
But outside of himself, Benn is no stranger to understanding the business of boxing. His promoter, Matchroom, is putting on the next big crossover extravaganza when former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua takes on lineal UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in March. Many fighters might take offense to seeing an MMA star quickly ascend to the sports pinnacle, but Benn acknowledges the demand for such events.
“If there’s a demand for it, why can’t it happen? Why shouldn’t it happen? There can be upsets in boxing, not that I there will be an upset against AJ with Ngannou but look at the fight with Fury. I think when you’re in combat sport and you’re the best in that division, there will always be some sort of competitiveness. (Ngannou) is one of the hardest punchers on stats and the UFC heavyweight champion. So why not? The public want to see it. It would be a mega fight. It is a mega fight.”
Of course, the opportunities for crossover are higher today than ever before. Established champions such as Claressa Shields, Amanda Serrano, and Savannah Marshall are signed to the PFL to compete in mixed martial arts. Influencer turned pugilist Jake Paul is also expected to finally try his hand at MMA later this year in the Smart Cage. So, would Benn do it? Benn has said he’s entertained the thought before and even gone as far as to train.
“I considered it years ago before I fully went into boxing. I enjoyed it. I loved it. I went to a few Jiu-Jitsu lessons and wrestling lessons and you know it’s completely different. It’s exhausting. It’s tiring. It’s a completely different sort of fitness.”
Conor Benn fights Peter Dobson this Saturday February 3, 2024 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Live on DAZN.
