By: Sean Crose

He may be famous and highly regarded at home in Europe, but Britain’s Conor Benn is most distinctly not a major sports figure here in the United States. That, however, may be about to change. For on September 12th in Las Vegas, Benn will be slipping through the ropes at the T Mobile Arena to face the one and only Ryan Garcia. Mexican Independence Day weekend was essentially owned by the great Canelo Alvarez for years. Now, though, it belongs to Garcia…and, of course, Benn. And make no mistake about it, Benn is entering this bout appearing confident.

“It’s all just noise,” Benn said to Sky Sports about Garcia’s famous mouth. “It doesn’t really concern me, doesn’t bother me. I’m just coming there to take his title off him.” Without doubt, Benn has a strategy in place to earn himself not only the upset win, but also Garcia’s WBC world welterweight title.  “I plan on going in there and getting a stoppage, for sure,” he said.  “I’m just going to go in there and do what I do, which is plant one on his chin and try and put him to sleep…I prepare diligently hard and always put the work in. I’ve taken it with both hands and I’m coming in there to cause havoc.”

Suffice to say, the 29 year welterweight is grateful for the opportunity of a lifetime. “For me to get a world title shot, the prestigious WBC world title, the belt my dad won, it’s a blessing,” he told Sky Sports. Sure enough, Benn’s father, Nigel Benn, was a two division world champion. Yet Benn has no desire to primarily be his old man’s shadow. And why should he? “That’s not my driving factor,” he said of family legacy. “My driving factor is to do it for myself. It’s for me to prove that I’m one of the best in the world.” A Benn win next month would indeed be a upset as the Englishman isn’t expected to win. Not that Benn minds  “I like being the underdog,” he said. “I think I perform at my best.”

Here is a man who realizes he might not get a fight like this again, which means he has every reason in the world to give the performance of a lifetime this Mexican Independence Day weekend.  Still Benn feels like he’s had enough high level bouts back home to prepare him for his match against Garcia. “I think every single one of my fights has led me to this moment,” he said. “All the pressure I’ve had early on in my career has prepared me for nights like those at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…it’s prepared me for the noise and the drama and the chaos. So come September 12, it’s nothing new, nothing different.”

He may be able to deal with the noise and drama, but how will he handle Garcia’s powerful right, a weapon which can end a fight instantly upon detonation? That question is just a few weeks away from being answered. The reality is Benn is no slouch. What’s more, his relentless, aggressive style is something Garcia will have to get past – or through – if he wants to defend his world title successfully. And while Garcia is coming across as cocky at times in the leadup to this fight, he would be wise not to underestimate his opponent on September 12th.

With all that being said, Benn expects this to be his last fight at welterweight. “Yeah, it’s hard. It’s brutal,” he said via talkSport. “This is my last fight at 147. When I win the world title, I’ll move on.” Sounds like Benn may be coming off a bit cocky himself.