Conor Benn says “concrete plans” are in place to match him with Ryan Garcia on Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2026, with Las Vegas and T-Mobile Arena emerging as the preferred destination. Benn is coming off a major statement win in November. Defeating Chris Eubank Jr. by unanimous decision in their rematch on The Ring’s Unfinished Business card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
After spending 2025 campaigning at middleweight where he’s ranked No. 4 by The Ring Benn plans to drop back to welterweight to chase the World Boxing Council title. He was recently ranked No. 1 by the WBC, positioning him as the likely challenger to the winner of Mario Barrios vs. Garcia, a bout expected to be announced imminently for Feb. 21.
Benn is already projecting the outcome. “I’ll be waiting for the WBC world title next,” Benn told The Ring. “For me, that’s always been a dream… and to win a WBC world title means everything to me.
“I know that if Ryan Garcia comes through against Barrios, from what I’m hearing, there are plans next concrete plans. I think everybody’s banking on him winning.”
Benn didn’t hide his enthusiasm for the setting. “It’s an away day for the fans, shall we say,” he said. “Vegas, T-Mobile Arena, Cinco de Mayo, sounds good to me, doesn’t it?”
Scheduling Wrinkles Loom
If finalized, Garcia–Benn would become the second major fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend, with David Benavidez set to challenge Gilberto Ramirez for his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles. That congestion could push Garcia–Benn later into 2026, depending on broadcast and venue logistics.
What’s Next
While Barrios–Garcia has yet to be officially confirmed, The Ring reported in early November that a deal was close and an announcement now appears imminent. If Garcia captures the WBC belt as expected, Benn’s long-held title ambitions could culminate on boxing’s most iconic weekend, under the bright lights of Las Vegas.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
