Former world champion names the fight that makes sense for Conor Benn

George Groves thinks he’s spotted the perfect rival for Conor Benn. The former world champion disagrees with Carl Froch’s prediction that Ryan Garcia would walk through “The Destroyer.” Saint George sees it as a showstopper if the two welterweights finally face off in the ring. 

In a rematch in November, 2025, Benn defeated Chris Eubank in their rematch, knocking him down twice in the final round. Garcia also dropped a decision to Rolly Romero in May for the WBA regular welterweight title after serving his year-long PED suspension.

Both fighters need a statement win to return to the title discussion, and GG believes they’re made for each other.

Groves sees prime Ryan Garcia vs red-hot Conor Benn as a showstopper

The talk started when Froch claimed Garcia would outclass Benn without breaking a sweat during an exclusive interview with FootItalia. Groves didn’t buy that point and responded to his old rival’s assessment. 

He thinks The Destroyer showed enough against Eubank to deserve a real test against top-tier opposition.

“I like that fight [Benn vs Garcia],” Groves said in an interview with FootItalia. He believes the buildup alone would be worth the admission price. Garcia’s recent behavior has been less erratic and more focused, which makes the matchup even more appealing.

Groves noted that Garcia seems more stable these days, less wacky and more locked in on his boxing career. “I think it’ll be an interesting build up,” he explained. “Garcia seems a little bit more with it these days, less wacky, more stable and that’ll be a great fight.”

The former champion praised Benn’s performance against Eubank. He thinks The Destroyer boxed brilliantly and earned his shot at a marquee name. “Conor Benn boxed brilliantly against Eubank and therefore deserves a big fight,” Groves said.

He sees plenty to like about where Benn stands right now. The 29-year-old moved up to middleweight twice to settle scores with Eubank. Now he’s planning a return to 147 pounds to chase some hitting bigger.

However, Saint George Groves wants to see Benn tested against elite operators before crowning him. “Let’s see him in with some other top quality operators and see if he can continue to look good,” he said. “But the Garcia fight makes a lot of sense for Conor.”

Conor Benn installed as number-one contender

The WBC installed Conor Benn as their number-one contender at welterweight despite him fighting twice at middleweight. That ranking puts him first in line for a crack at whoever holds the green belt. If Garcia beats Barrios on 21 February 2026, “The Destroyer” would be waiting.