Conor Benn says if he has to undergo Manny Pacquiao on his approach to a world title, then that’s what he’ll do.
Benn and the Filipino icon went head-to-head in Saudi Arabia final week, and information of a summer time combat between the 2 rapidly unfold.
Benn, whose final two fights have been within the USA following two constructive VADA assessments forward of his proposed 2022 bout with Chris Eubank Jr, nonetheless strenuously denies any wrongdoing, however he may very well be headed for a combat in opposition to Pacquiao within the Center East.
“That’s what I used to be there for, actually,” he mentioned, of a whirlwind 72hours in Saudi Arabia.
“I knew he [Pacquiao] was going to be there.
“Proper now, that’s trying just like the one which we’re specializing in.”
Benn has talked about desirous to be within the title image and has known as out the largest names at welterweight. After he defeated Peter Dobson in Las Vegas final month, loads known as him out, too, however Pacquiao appears a risk for Could or June in Saudi Arabia, and Benn is blissful to have interaction the longer term Corridor of Famer.
“Yeah, clearly, once we did the face off, it’s like trying right into a legend’s eyes,” Benn mentioned. “It was kind of surreal.”
Benn needs the large names at 147lbs, however there’s a industrial magnetism for his identify to be linked with others away from the higher echelons of the related divisions, from Kell Brook, to Eubank Jr and more and more to the 45-year-old Pacquiao. What does the 27-year-old Benn, 23-0 (14 KOs), say to these saying he must be combating the most important gamers at welterweight?
“I say to that, he [Pacquiao] needs to combat me,” he mentioned. “He’s talked about my identify, his supervisor [Sean Gibbons], but in addition it’s not like I haven’t chased the 147s. What number of occasions have I received to say the 147 names?
“And there’s movies on the market saying that they don’t need the combat, that I’m not a sufficiently big identify, or I’m not ranked or no matter – [Derek] ‘Bozy’ Ennis was saying… so what would you like me to do? We known as for [Mario] Barrios, we known as for [Yordenis] Ugas, we known as for [Keith] Thurman… So it’s like, what would you like me to do? If a legend needs to share the ring with me, it could be my honor.”
Pacquiao has not fought since dropping to Yordenis Ugas in 2021, on factors over 12 rounds. In his three earlier bouts, he’d defeated Lucas Matthysse (2018), and, in 2019, Adrien Broner and Thurman. He’s 62-8-2 (39 KOs) in his 72-fight profession.
“But in addition, he’s outdated till he’s not outdated,” Benn added. “Individuals will all the time have one thing to say. Individuals had one thing to say after I went as much as 160 [for Eubank]. Individuals all the time have one thing to say. He fought Ugas two years in the past, however I’m not going to show down the provide to combat a legend if the provide is out to me. It might make no sense.”
