Carl Froch has assessed the chances of Conor Benn pulling off a sizable upset against Ryan Garciawho he is expected to face in September.

Their welterweight showdown was reportedly set to be announced on Friday, with Dana White inviting both fighters to the stage at a UFC weigh-in.

According to boxing journalist Dan Rafael, however, there are still some issues that must be ironed out on Garcia’s sidewhich concern the involvement of DAZN and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy.

Benn, meanwhile, has reportedly completed his side of the agreement to challenge for Garcia’s WBC world title in Las Vegas on September 12.

The 29-year-old signed with White’s Zuffa Boxing earlier this year, before unanimously outpointing a faded Regis Prograis over 10 rounds in April.

Yet it seems the promotional and broadcast situation for his clash with Garcia – expected to be streamed on Netflix – is far from straightforward, being that the WBC champion seemingly has an existing contract with Golden Boy and DAZN.

If it does go ahead, though, then Froch has suggested on his YouTube channel that Garcia would prove too skilled for his less proven opponent, giving Benn just a 30% chance of victory.

“This one is exciting, because you get to find out where Conor Benn belongs. Does he belong at world level?

“Ryan Garcia … Would you say he’s an elite-level champion? He’s been down, he’s been beat, [but] you’ve got to say he’s world-class.

“So this is a massive step-up for Conor Benn. I’m not sure it’s the fight he will win. He probably can win it, if he gets the tactics right, but it’s a really tough ask.

“He’s the underdog – he’s probably 70/30 against.”

Garcia claimed his WBC title by dethroning Mario Barrioswho he floored in the opening round before winning their February encounter by unanimous decision.

Tony Bellew has advised Moses Itauma against facing an opponent who, based on his superior experience, could become the first man to drag him into deep waters.

The heavyweight prodigy already has his hands full, of course, as he will face seasoned veteran Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on August 29.

On paper, this is undoubtedly his toughest test thus far, with Hrgovic’s only professional defeat having come via an eighth-round stoppage against Daniel Dubois in June 2024.

Itauma, on the other hand, has never made it past six rounds, but was close to doing so before dispatching Jermaine Franklin with a fifth-round finish in March.

Having cemented himself as a formidable knockout artist, the 21-year-old is now ranked No.1 with both the WBO and WBA, seemingly closing in on a major opportunity.

According to former world champion Bellew, though, the talented southpaw should steer well clear of Oleksandr Usykwho relinquished his WBC, IBF and WBA belts last month.

Even at the age of 39, and after having to grind out a 11th-round stoppage against Rico Verhoeven in May, the Ukrainian is still the lineal heavyweight champion and, more generally, a generational great.

For this reason, Bellew has told Fight Your Corner that, even at this stage in their careers, Itauma is not ready for an elite competitor like Usyk.

“Moses [shouldn’t] go near him at the minute. I think that it would be absolutely insane to throw Moses Itauma into [an] Usyk [fight] after not going past six [rounds] yet.

“Would you throw a fighter like that in with someone like [Usyk]? [Usyk’s] game plan would be, ‘I have only got to see past six rounds with you, kid. I am going to take you to places that you have never been’.”

While a matchup between Usyk and Itauma has been widely discussed, it does appear that the two southpaws will ultimately go their separate ways.

Dalton Smith’s WBC light welterweight title defense against Alberto Puello is expected to take place on Oct. 24 at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England, according to veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael.

The bout is expected to headline a Matchroom Boxing event after its original June 6 date was postponed when Smith suffered an elbow injury during training camp. The undefeated British champion was forced to withdraw before fight week, delaying his first defense of the WBC belt.

Smith has quickly emerged as one of Britain’s leading contenders at 140 pounds. The Sheffield native captured the vacant WBC title earlier this year and will now have the opportunity to defend it in front of his hometown fans if the revised date is finalized.

Puello, a former world titleholder from the Dominican Republic, earned the mandatory title shot after remaining among the division’s top-ranked contenders. Before traveling to England, he is scheduled to face Miguel Ángel Bolaño in a 10-round stay-busy fight on July 18 in Santo Domingo.

The Smith-Puello matchup has been viewed as one of the division’s most significant championship bouts outside of the United States. A victory for Smith would further strengthen his position among the elite light welterweights, while Puello will look to regain a world title by handing the unbeaten champion the first defeat of his professional career.

Neither Matchroom Boxing nor the WBC has formally announced the rescheduled date, but Rafael reported the fight is expected to move forward on Oct. 24 in Sheffield.

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Last Updated on 2026/07/11 at 1:51 AM