Welterweight Conor ‘The Destroyer’ Benn 23-0 (14) says he would welcome a fight against WBC junior welterweight champion Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney 31-0 (15) despite finding the American two-weight world champion boring.
The 27-year-old Brit made the comments following his 12-round unanimous decision win over little known Peter Dobson 16-1 (9) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.
Benn was widely expected to knock Dobson out, but the 33-year-old from the Bronx proved to be surprisingly durable despite wearing some big shots.
At the conclusion of the bout Benn was awarded the victory by scores of 119-109 and 118-110 twice.
“I was in cruise control,” Benn said after the fight. “I’ve had harder sparring [sessions]. But it was good work.
“I always gun for the first round. If I get him out of there, if I see an opening, I take it. I don’t miss when I shoot. I took my shots and he was still standing.
“He was tough, but he was in there to survive really. I’m a bit disappointed. I come out like I said I’d come out and if he had opened up instead of surviving, then he would’ve been in for it.”
Benn wasted little time calling out Haney, 25, at the post-fight press conference.
“When you want to talk about power, he’s just jealous because he’s never had none. If he wants to come and find out about the power, I’m more than happy to show him,” Benn said.
“He can get nicked. He’s been very vocal, but his dad has shown a lot of respect, Bill Haney, a lot of class. He needs to teach his little kid some manners, some lessons. If he wants to come, no problem. He’s easy work.
“I’ll fight him wherever. I’m doing a little American tour at the moment, so I’ll fight him wherever. He’s got quick hands, he’s got fast feet, he’s athletic, but no more than me.
“If he wants to talk about power, he’s never had none. People go to sleep when they watch Haney fight. Even when I go 10 rounds, even when I go 12 rounds, people are on the edge of their seats. Not like his.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Haney fight. I tell a lie, I was at one of his fights and that was because one of my friends was fighting on the undercard.”
Before the Dobson fight Benn promised to put a beating on the local boxer.
“He’s getting fucked up,” Benn said to Matchroom Boxing. “He’s getting absolutely smashed to pieces. I’ll make you cry in there.
“He won’t know what hit him. He’s gonna feel like he’s been hit by a baseball bat.”
Benn is currently unable to box in the UK after the British Boxing Board of Control refused to licence him following a failed drugs test.
