Conor Benn silenced the doubters who claimed he wouldn’t be able to advance from domestic British level with a solid victory on Saturday night.
The son of legend Nigel Benn took control of his clash with former IBO welterweight champion Sebastian Formella, showing significant improvements along the way.
Using his jab a lot more, Benn produced a career-best performance for ten rounds to retain his WBA Continental Welterweight Title.
The 24-year-old outfought and outboxed Germany’s former IBO World Champion to take a unanimous decision on the judge’s scorecards and progress his record to 17-0.
In the end, scores read 100-91, 99-91, and 99-92 in favor of Benn, who really should have been granted a total shut-out.
Formella was never in the fight. He was simply busted up for the duration as Benn moved past the lower title level and onto a potential European title fight in 2021.
It was a measured and mature performance by Conor Benn.
Speaking after the victory, Benn was obviously pleased to prove his worth after receiving plenty of criticism in the past.
“I just stuck to my boxing,” Benn told Matchroom. “I was hitting him with some hard shots. The guy just went 12 rounds with Shawn Porter, and I think I beat him more convincingly.
“I didn’t lose a single round. It was an okay night’s work. I’ve had harder spars than that. I’m not being funny.
“I’ve been sparring with Middleweights and Super-Middleweights in 18oz gloves. They wear 14oz gloves, and I wear 18oz gloves.
“When it comes to punching power, if I’m not going to bang them out, I’ll wear them down.
“He’s a former World Champion, and I expected nothing less. I stayed cool and composed the whole ten rounds. I could have done 15.
“I’m barely breaking a sweat now. He tried it on the inside, and I beat him to the punches on the inside. He tried it at range, and I beat him to the punches at range. I was quicker, faster, and stronger.”
He continued: “People think their experience is going to get to me, what experience? Jussi Koivula got banged out in two rounds, and if they want to go ten or twelve, I’ll outbox them for ten or twelve.
“People will always question me because of my vulnerability. I’m hungry like I come from the ends. I’m hungry like I came from nothing. I fight like a starving man.
“You don’t need to come from poverty, come from having nothing, to be a great fighter. I have a great life.
“I live such a blessed life, but I still fight like a starving man because of that championship mindset, that hunger and will to win.”
CONOR BENN vs JOSH KELLY
Asked what he’d like next, ‘The Destroyer’ replied: “I’ve just beaten No.23 in the world, a former IBO World Champion. I’m pushing on.
“The only domestic fight I’m interested in, the only domestic fight that the public keep talking about, not Instagram, is the Josh Kelly fight.
“That’s the only fight I’m interested in. If not, get me, Samuel Vargas. Get me some of these top Yanks. I’ll have a bit of them.
“The only domestic fight I’m interested in is Josh Kelly. Let’s have it,” concluded the talented Londoner.
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