WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders 30-0 (14) believes that welterweight contender Conor Benn 18-0 (12) could turn out to be a better fighter than his famous father.
Former middleweight and super middleweight champion Nigel ‘The Dark Destroyer’ Benn 34-5-1 (21) defeated some on the biggest names of his era, including Gerald McClellan, Iran Barkley, Doug Dewitt, Sanderline Williams, Thulani Malinga, Anthony Logan and Robbie Sims. He also faced Chris Eubank and Steve Collins twice as well as Michael Watson.
The 31-year-old Saunders, who will face pound-for-pound Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 55-1-2 (37) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas early next month, was asked to compare the current crop of father-son combinations in Britain, including Chris Eubank Jr and Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell.
“The only one I can see doing something is Conor Benn, doing something to become a world champion and following in his father’s footsteps,” Saunders said to iFL TV.
“I think he’s better than his dad and I loved watching his dad. But he does stuff better than his dad.
“So he’s the only one out of that crop that is going to be a world champion.
“He probably will be world champion before he’s gone, but someone like Eubank, not a chance. He’s not good enough.”
The younger Benn blasted out Canadian-based Colombian Samuel Vargas 31-7-2 (14) at the Copper Box Arena on London earlier this month. The hardnosed veteran was expected to present a stern challenge to the 24-year-old Benn, but he was gone in 80 seconds.
The performance impressed the pundits on DAZN.
“It was a brilliant performance by Conor Benn and I think that all the attributes to become the next big star,” Sergio Mora said.
“He has the looks, he has the power, he has the speed, and he has charisma.
“When you heard him speaking Spanish with Samuel Vargas when they were facing off, that was so mean.
“That sold a lot of people, especially those across the pond. He’s going to have fans all over the world.
“Speaking Spanish and being British, looking like a tough guy and knocking guys out, that’s a promoter’s dream and I think Eddie Hearn realizes that.
“People are going to catch on. This is a marketable, promotable fighter and I’m excited. He comes from lineage and from greatness with that last name. It was a hell of a name for Conor Benn.”
The manner of the win turned Chris Mannix into a convert.
“Yeah, we talked last week whether Conor Benn was a contender or a pretender,” he said. “At that time, I listed Benn as a pretender.
“I did that because I had not seen Benn look impressive against who I thought was a credible opponent. I don’t think Sebastian Formella is particularly a credible opponent.
“I did think Samuel Vargas was a credible opponent and watching Conor Benn go out there and do what Errol Spence couldn’t do, what Amir Khan couldn’t do, what Danny Garcia couldn’t do, and most recently what Vergil Ortiz couldn’t do, was really, really impressive.
“Vargas might have some issues with the stoppage, but when you’re getting hit with that many power shots and not throwing anything back, you run the risk of a referee stepping in. So that’s on Vargas more than anyone else.
“I love what I saw from Conor Benn. I don’t know what level he’s on yet, and I don’t know if I would put him in with a top guy right now.
“But if you keep this guy busy with two, three, four fights in the next 12 months, you are going to have a star that is going to be entertaining and incredibly marketable in the UK.”
