B/R Staff Predictions for Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn

Will "King Ry" get dethroned by a British boxer with a rich pedigree?

That is the question that must be answered on Saturday night in Las Vegas, as Ryan Garcia defends his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn.

Benn is the son of former world champion Nigel Benn and will attempt to join his father as a championship holder.

So, who's coming away with the win?

The B/R Combat Sports staff got together to provide predictions for the big fight in Vegas.

Garcia Will Put Benn Down

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It's never good when a fighter heads into a bout already looking to the future.

Conor Benn has admitted his weight cut was "brutal" and that this will be his last outing at 147 pounds. That won't do anything to hush the detractors who think Ryan Garcia will have an easy time putting the Englishman away with the 21st knockout of his career.

I'll say this about Benn: A defeat wouldn't be through a lack of effort. He's exactly the type of fighter who can give Garcia issues. He won't be afraid to pull up close and get among it. We saw in his second fight against Chris Eubank Jr. that he also holds legit power in the latter rounds, sending his British rival to the deck twice in Round 12. Garcia needs to take him seriously.

That's likely to be the defining point of this showdown. Garcia will make Benn's life a living hell if he turns up with the confidence that saw him dominate Mario Barrios. Should we see the Garcia who lost to Rolando Romero, there's a good chance Benn could capitalize. Garcia became timid after getting hurt early against Romero, a blueprint the underdog should look to repeat.

With that said, I think Garcia gets it done. Benn has already endured a demanding camp and weight cut, and he's facing a man who is motivated to remind people why he's considered such an elite talent. I can see a late knockout after the wear and tear sets in.

Prediction: Garcia via KO, Rd. 9

— Nick Akerman

Hard-Hitting Fight Goes Garcia's Way

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Conor Benn rarely goes quietly, which is part of what makes this fight compelling.

The goal should be to pressure Garcia with a high work rate and the constant threat of sustained offense. In doing so, Benn will try to play the short and long game—depleting energy throughout and adding to the mental exhaustion of keeping a fighter on their heels for many minutes.

If we were coaching Benn, this style would have to stay intact. Win or lose, he must stay true to an aggressive fighting style that has earned him a 25-1 record. In particular, he has a real shot at flipping this fight in the first few rounds. His efforts here could pave the way for a long night for his opponent.

Garcia, of course, is well aware of this. He's the faster fighter, a brilliant counterpuncher, and still extremely explosive. In many respects, this is the kind of fight that suits his fighting style. The only difference is that most opponents don't hit as hard and fight as well as Benn does.

Others have made the point, but it can't be stated enough: weight will be a factor. Benn has publicly acknowledged this weight cut as "brutal," and he plans to move to 168 pounds after this 147-pound fight. Energy, which is one of his best attributes, should be a concern.

You never quite know how these dramatic cuts will impact a fight, but they will have a say one way or another. 

This fight, however, still feels much more about Garcia's boxing and skill evolution than anything else. Regardless of how smoothly Benn's weight cut goes, he will be ready. The opening rounds will be exciting and violent.

It'll be up to Garcia to avoid carnage and take over with speed and tactical shots as the fight progresses, and he should be able to do just that.

Prediction: Garcia via KO, Rd. 10

— Adam Kramer

Another Belt for the Benn Dynasty

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Let's face it. I should really stay out of the Ryan Garcia picks business.

I was pretty sure Devin Haney would embarrass him when they met two years ago in Brooklyn—right up until "King Ry" bounced "The Dream" like a ball. Garcia's subsequent positive tests for ostarine led the result to be changed to a no-contest.

Then, last spring in Times Square, I figured his beating Rolando Romero was just a formality before moving on to an all-loudmouth showdown with Teofimo Lopez.

Instead, Romero dropped him early and schooled him for the duration while winning a WBA belt at 147 and setting up his own fruitless date with "The Takeover."

So now, perhaps it should concern me that I think he should beat Conor Benn.

Or maybe it should concern Garcia.

Benn, after all, has fought just one time below 140 pounds and has scaled 150 or higher in four of his last five fights. Garcia, meanwhile, is still relatively new to the welterweight neighborhood after exceeding 145 just twice in 27 pro fights.

So Benn, though a shade shorter, is probably physically stronger and surely more accustomed to catching shots from bigger men. Nigel's son blew Chris Algieri and Chris van Heerden away in a combined six rounds in his last two encounters with a 147-pound limit, and, if he's been smart enough to avoid 24 rounds worth of kill shots from Chris Eubank Jr., he ought to be able to spend 36 minutes avoiding Garcia's big left hook while landing blows of his own.

Avoiding damage and applying pressure are the keys to victory, and it says here that "The Destroyer" will do enough of both to get his hand raised after 12 rounds.

Prediction: Benn by Unanimous Decision

— Lyle Fitzsimmons