Big Question: How good is Conor Benn going to be?
Conor Benn is back on Saturday, and there are still debates about his upside. How do you see the welterweight prospect?
Last week’s Big Question was on Oscar De La Hoya’s (still supposed) comeback on July 3, when he (is saying he will be) headlining a Triller Fight Club PPV event. I do think more likely than not it will happen, but with it not being official yet, there’s time for it to not, too.
But if it does, I wanted to know if you planned to buy the show — buy, not pirate it. It was a strong “No” vote, 70 percent of voters saying they will not buy it or even get together with someone who did pay for the fight. 11 percent went “Yes,” and 18 percent said it would depend on the opponent. I included the third option to see what interest is even beyond a flat Y/N response. And obviously our little bubble doesn’t speak for the whole world, I’m asking questions of our little bubble first and foremost. But actually paying money for this doesn’t seem to be a high priority.
This week I wanted to shift over to a prospect who will be in action on Saturday, UK welterweight Conor Benn, who faces Samuel Vargas in a main event on DAZN and Sky Sports.
Now 24, Benn (17-0, 11 KO) has had a lot of mixed reactions since he turn pro in 2016, and a lot of that has changed over those years, too, as the second-generation “Destroyer” has learned on the job, had his iffy nights, had his nights where he looked good, and some sort of in-between.
Vargas (31-6-2, 14 KO) is a tough, gritty veteran, a 31-year-old from Colombia, based in Canada, who fights wherever he can get a bout, against anyone he can face. Over the years, he’s been in the ring with Errol Spence Jr, Danny Garcia, Amir Khan, and Vergil Ortiz Jr, among others. He’s never emerged as a serious contender at 147 or 154, but he’s never been afraid to mix it up and always brings a serious effort.
How to Watch Benn vs Vargas
Date: Saturday, April 10 | Start Time: 2:00 pm ET
Location: The SSE Arena, Wembley - London, England
TV: Sky Sports (UK) | Streaming: DAZN
Online Coverage: BadLeftHook.com
On paper, Benn should win this fight, at least if he’s the serious prospect he believes he is and Matchroom believe he is. More than a “step up” in terms of overall standing from Sebastian Formella, it’s a different sort of test in terms of style; Formella is a solid boxer, while Vargas is more aggressive and fearless.
So here’s the question: How good is Conor Benn going to be? Is he on his way to being a serious world titleholder sort, a guy looked at as one of the best in his division? Will he be more a “world title challenger,” the sort who gets a shot (or two, or three, or four) and never gets over the hump, but is a good contender? Will he flame out before that?
Your call: