Conor Benn gives incredible response to 'silk pyjamas' question after making $30m in one year
Conor Benn hilariously responded to the iconic 'silk pyjamas' quote after making $30m ahead of the biggest fight of his life.
As boxing legend Martin Hagler famously said: "It's tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you've been sleeping in silk pyjamas."
Far too often, boxers have achieved greatness and made generational wealth, only to fall off massively because they enjoyed the fruits of their labour a bit too much.
In recent years there is perhaps no better example of this than former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr, who, after shocking the world with a knockout victory over Anthony Joshua, lost the immediate rematch and has continued to struggle to remain at the top of the division since.
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Therefore, coming off the back of back-to-back blockbuster bouts with historic rival Chris Eubank Jr and a statement win over Regis Prograis to start his multi-million career with Zuffa Boxing, some may be concerned that Benn may have his eye off the ball.
But, ahead of the biggest fight of his career to date, there's one reason why the 29-year-old remains laser-focused despite his recent success granting him the luxury of the famous 'silk pyjamas'.
"I was born in silk sheets with caviar for lunch at school," Benn joked in an exclusive interview with SPORTbible.
Benn's father, Nigel, is one of the most accomplished and famous boxers in British history, having held both the WBO middleweight title and WBC super-middleweight title during his career.
Because of his father's success, Conor hasn't experienced the typical rags-to-riches story often seen in combat sports, but that doesn't take anything away from his drive heading into his first shot at a world title this weekend.
“I think ambition is priceless; you can't put a price on ambition," he added.
"For me, being the best version of myself I can be, being the best fighter I can be, is number one.
"If it was for the money, I would have stopped fighting a while ago. For me, it's just about reaching my full potential, and when I reach the highest I believe I can go, well, then that's enough for me.
"But right now, I've still got a lot to prove to myself and to the public. money's nice and maybe when I've got £100 million in the bank, I'll retire."
Although he's not quite reached £100m yet, Benn's earnings in 2026 suggest he is well on the way to breaking nine figures thanks to his mega deal with Dana White's Zuffa.
In his first fight under the Zuffa banner, the Brit made a reported $15m (£11m) for a one-fight deal that saw him beat Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury's comeback.
Now, just five months later, it is believed that he's set to bank a further $15m as he faces fierce rival Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight championship in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Legacy means everything to Conor Benn ahead of Ryan Garcia fight
But, as Benn has made clear, the money isn't what led to him taking on the Garcia fight, as he will finally get the chance to be crowned world champion for the first time of his career.
Should he get past the current champion in Garcia, Benn will join his father as one of the few boxers to be named WBC champion, albeit in a different weight division.
And it's clear that fact isn't lost on the 29-year-old.
"I think it's definitely about legacy for me," Benn told SPORTbible.
"I look at my autobiography and I go, two Eubank fights, two big stadium shows, the adversity I went through at the time to then come back and win a WBC world title, dropping back down two weights, it's pretty solid.
"This is a chance to solidify my legacy, for sure."
Garcia and Benn are scheduled to make their ringwalks at the at the T-Mobile Arena around 04:00am BST.
Topics: Conor Benn, Boxing, Ryan Garcia, Spotlight
Ben McCrum