Not even in his wildest dreams, Conor Benn had thought that Manny Pacquiao would come back when he confronted him during the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou weigh‑in event last year. However, as things stand right now, the Filipino legend is not only making a comeback after a four-year break but is also vying for the WBC welterweight title against Mario Barrios. A crown that has eluded “The Destroyer” despite being tantalizingly close for years.
Despite being currently tied to Chris Eubank Jr., the Essex native remains eligible to challenge the Pacquiao-Barrios winner, says WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. And this time, Conor Benn won’t miss the chance and will follow the July 19th clash as closely as possible. In a recent interview with iFL TV, the 28-year-old once again reflected on the significance of the opportunity.
“The WBC title was very very very real and part of me goes, I wish, I fought for the WBC title,” he said, claiming that he would trade in the Chris Eubank Jr. rematch unhesitatingly for an opportunity this instant. However, he has now made peace with the circumstances and will wait for the Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios conclusion.
Talking about the MGM Grand Arena headliner, Benn did not beat around the bush. He believes the former eight-division champion has an advantage. “I think Barrios is going to be in for a hard fight, to be honest. I think Pacquiao could win it,” he said, without sugarcoating his answer.
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 02: Manny Pacquiao throws a left at Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their welterweight unification championship bout on May 2, 2015 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Conor Benn has never hidden his desire to fight “PacMan,” which drove him to confront the legend last year. That move drew heavy criticism at the time. Yet, should Manny Pacquiao triumph, Benn’s actions would be vindicated, setting up an ideal scenario for him. However, it’s no simple task as WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios is motivated to crush Benn’s aspirations.
Manny Pacquiao took on more than he could handle?
After the WBC President officially announced the July 19th WBC welterweight title fight, one narrative has taken over the internet. A section of the boxing community believes that Manny Pacquiao has chosen Barrios strategically. Despite being the champion, the Texan never defeated anyone for it. Furthermore, even his resume feels rather short for a champion.
All signs point towards Manny Pacquiao claiming the title of the oldest welterweight champion ever. However, for Barrios, it is his chance to cement his undeniable legitimacy. “Originally getting the fight, I was pretty blown away,” he admitted in a recent interview.
However, as time passed, the 28-year-old realized the need to change his mentality. “But you know, during training camp and everything, I’m not training with the mentality that I am getting ready to fight an icon, fight a legend. At the end of the day, he’s just another man trying to fight for my title,” he added
He still considers sharing the ring with “PacMan” as an honor. However, he won’t let that sentiment cloud his approach in the ring. “All the respect, it’s going to be there like it’s all smiles between both of us for right now. But I know, come fight night, we are both going there with bad intentions. He’s going trying to take my title, and I got to do whatever it takes to make sure he doesn’t,” he concluded, making his intentions clear.
So, Mario Barrios not only has the chance to legitimize his resume but can also ruin Conor Benn’s dreams. Something he would love to do, given how he has been overlooked for the past few months. Do you think “El Azteca” can retain against Manny Pacquiao?
The post Conor Benn Makes Bold Call on Manny Pacquiao vs. Mario Barrios Ahead of Eubank Jr. Rematch appeared first on EssentiallySports.
