Share to ClassroomBenn Fights Garcia for World Boxing Title
British boxer Conor Benn will fight American champion Ryan Garcia on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The prize is the WBC (World Boxing Council) welterweight title. Welterweight is a weight class in boxing. Garcia won the title in February. Garcia, 28, is defending the belt for the first time. Benn, 29, has never fought for a world title. His father, Nigel, was also a WBC champion more than 30 years ago. Benn has lost only once in 26 fights. Reports say the two boxers will share about $30 million.
The big question is Benn's weight. For four and a half years he fought in heavier weight classes, so he had to lose a lot of weight. On Friday he weighed 146 pounds, but the Daily Mail said he gained 32 pounds back in about 12 hours. Benn said making the weight felt like being "dragged down to the pits of hell". Garcia thinks this will make Benn weak. Both men have failed drug tests in the past, and both say they did not cheat on purpose.
Most experts think Garcia will win because he is fast and powerful. Some think the fight will end early. Tony Bellew is different. He thinks Benn will win by knockout. Benn says the pressure is on the champion, not on him.
