Conor Benn handed world title opportunity days after Ryan Garcia defeat

Conor Benn has been told he can 'skip the queue' and fight Denzel Bentley for the WBO middleweight championship once he returns to boxing.

Benn was defeated via technical knockout (TKO) by reigning WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia in Nevada on Saturday night. Garcia knocked him down and, while Benn got back to his feet, soon found himself trapped in the corner before the referee waved off the fight in the second round.

The 29-year-old, who is signed to Dana White's Zuffa Boxing, issued a statement afterwards admitting that his future in boxing was uncertain.

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Conor Benn told he can 'skip the queue' for world title fight

Benn had to drop considerable weight to make his weight for the fight against Garcia. He topped the scales at 146lbs, before putting on 32lbs inside the following 12 hours, through rehydration, before the bout got underway.

The weight limit at welterweight stands at 147lbs, but it stands at a considerably higher level of 160lbs at middleweight.

And should Benn decide to return to boxing at middleweight, he has been offered the opportunity to fight for Bentley's WBO crown.

"In my eyes, I feel like his profile is big enough for him to skip the queue," Bentley told Sky Sports.

"It's unfair, but that's the sport we're in. Obviously it's beneficial for me, especially financially. So 100 per cent that's the fight I would take. I've never had any beef with Conor, we've always been cool. But if he is coming to the 160lb division, he goes from a companion to a potential challenger.

Denzel Bentley is the reigning WBO middleweight champion (Image: Getty)

"I think he should take a lot of time off and recover. I don't think there's any rush for him to get back into a boxing ring or even a gym. That weight cut was a fight in itself for him I think.

"If he decides to move up to 160lbs and he does want the challenge, I think that's probably a conversation we can probably have ourselves.

"I think he will be a lot better with the extra weight. I think at 160lbs, he'll be a lot more fuelled. But, listen, I punch as well and there were a lot of flaws in his game that night that I could exploit."

Bentley, from London, has a professional boxing record of 22-3-1 at middleweight.

He lost a WBO middleweight title match against Janibek Alimkhanuly in November 2022 but won the vacant belt by beating Endry Saavedra by TKO at the O2 Arena in April. The 31-year-old is yet to defend his title.

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What Conor Benn said after loss to Ryan Garcia

Taking to Instagram after his second-round defeat to Garcia, Benn announced that he would be taking a break from boxing to spend more time with his family.

"Everybody keeps asking, 'What's next for Conor Benn?' The truth is, I don't have the answer," he wrote.

"I train hard. I sacrifice. I've given this game 110 per cent every time I've stepped through those ropes, I've wanted to give people unforgettable nights and entertain. That's what it has always been about for me. People spend their hard earned money to come and watch guys like us fight. I've never taken that for granted. I've always wanted to be a servant of the public and give everything I have when it matters.

"But giving everything comes at a cost. And the people who have paid that cost more than anyone are my family and my kids. They've sacrificed time with their Dad so I could chase this dream. They've had to share me with this sport their entire lives.

"So when people ask me what's next for Conor Benn, right now the answer is simple. Time with my kids."