Despite previously declaring that he was permanently stepping back from his son’s boxing career, Nigel Benn has re-emerged at Conor’s side ahead of the WBC welterweight world title clash against Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas. The 10,000-mile journey from Australia, where the retired “Dark Destroyer” is based, was thought to be a thing of the past following Conor’s grudge-match victory over Chris Eubank Jr. However, Benn was prominent at recent media events, claiming his son persuaded him to assist with this final hurdle.
Conor, 25, acknowledged the cyclical nature of his father’s involvement with a wry smile. “He lives through me,” Conor said. “He’ll say it’s his last fight and he’s done, but then there’s always something else, like a first defense. I don’t know if he’s lying or believes it himself.”
The return of Nigel Benn to the promotional fold comes as Conor seeks to cement his status apart from his legendary father’s shadow. While he has not matched Nigel’s ring achievements, Conor has become one of British boxing’s most polarizing figures through a career defined by controversy, including a career-threatening doping case, a violent rivalry with Eubank, and a fractured relationship with former promoter Eddie Hearn.
Nigel emphasized that external criticism should not distract the younger Benn. “It’s about what Conor thinks and what his dad thinks, not what everybody else says,” Nigel said. “Everyone didn’t love me either. But once you get that belt around his waist, we’ll go from there.”
If Conor wins, he will join an elite lineage of father-and-son world champions, including Floyd and Tracy Harris Patterson, Julio Cesar Chavez and his son, and Leon and Cory Spinks. Nigel expressed total confidence in his son’s trajectory, noting, “He’s just going from strength to strength. I see him being victorious. I’m not actually worried whatsoever.”
The path to this moment has been fraught with obstacles. An adverse drug test resulted in a two-year absence from the sport, though a provisional suspension was lifted in November 2024. Conor maintains he is an advocate for clean sport and denies any intentional use of performance-enhancing drugs. His recent laborious points win over Regis Prograis also left some pundits questioning his readiness for the highest echelon, a narrative Conor dismisses. “To some people, I’ll never be good enough,” he said. “Winning the world title is personal. If I listened to other people, I wouldn’t be where I am.”
Opponent Ryan Garcia brings his own controversies, having served a one-year suspension for ostarine following his 2024 win over Devin Haney. The upcoming bout, promoted by UFC-backed Zuffa Boxing following Conor’s split from Hearn, presents a contradiction: it features the traditional WBC belt despite Zuffa’s rhetoric about disrupting established sanctioning bodies. Social media exchanges have been heated, but Conor insists the conflict lacks the visceral intensity of the Eubank feud. “One person I wanted to put in hospital; the other one I don’t,” Conor stated. “I just want his title and his number one position.”
Nigel believes he has identified the tactical key to defeating Garcia’s blinding hand speed and left hook. Drawing parallels to his own 1990 victory over Iran Barkley, Nigel urged Conor to employ suffocating, bobbing aggression. “For the first time, he is actually sitting there listening,” Nigel noted. “He has to be the Dark Destroyer, but with controlled aggression. Don’t give him room. Roll under his punches and hook the body and head.”
While the hostile atmosphere in Las Vegas evokes memories of Nigel’s ferocious 1995 battle with Gerald McClellan—where he was also expected to be stopped inside three rounds—Nigel insists he will walk away for good after this fight. “I can walk out of that arena, go home, and be with my family, and that’s it,” he said. However, given their history, it is unlikely the Benns will remain apart for long if Conor successfully claims the WBC belt.
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