Conor Benn aims for Ryan Garcia’s championship, pledges to defeat Regis Prograis.
Conor Benn’s preparation is leading him into a challenging mindset as he aims to become a world champion later this year by capturing Ryan Garcia’s WBC welterweight title.
Benn is set to face Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s return against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, following a one-fight agreement with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing valued at £11.38 million ($15m).
After a decisive points victory in his rematch with Chris Eubank Jr in November, the 29-year-old is in “destroy and destruct” mode as he readies himself to confront former two-time world light-welterweight champion Prograis.
“The mindset you need to adopt in boxing and the type of person you must become, you can’t be at peace all the time,” Benn stated on The Overlap.
“At this moment, I’m heavily dieting, contemplating how I’m going to defeat this guy, thinking about how I’m going to completely dismantle him. It’s like a struggle between who I believe I am and who I need to be to succeed.
“I feel like I’m undergoing a transformation where you enter a dark place. You are willing to go there, but to do so, you must mentally prepare for any outcome.
“For me, it’s all about destroy and destruct. You’re obstructing my future, and you’re getting in the way of my children — do you think you can take that from me?
“You develop this chip on your shoulder, and that fuels you throughout the training camp. You can’t be a nice person while you’re in training.”
While acknowledging the challenges posed by the tricky southpaw Prograis, Benn’s primary goal is to contend for Garcia’s WBC title.
“The WBC world title in September seems like a solid plan. I’m going to secure a world title in September, without a doubt,” Benn remarked.
“That’s the path, and if I could pull off a third consecutive stadium show and then win the world title, that would be quite remarkable over the past two years.”
‘Two years back’ refers to the duration Benn spent successfully advocating for the lifting of a provisional two-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance in voluntary drug tests on two occasions.
Benn has candidly discussed the depression and anxiety he experienced during the legal proceedings, as well as his reliance on alcohol to help alleviate the distress, with his Christian faith and therapy sessions playing a crucial role in his recovery.
However, he was still grappling with his mental struggles when he faced Eubank Jr for the first time in April 2025, which resulted in a unanimous points loss in north London.
“I look back at the photos and I don’t recognize myself. It wasn’t just the fight night; it was the training camp. It was the pressure, the stress, the anxiety,” he explained.
“I was just coming out of my case, so I was still fighting depression, still dealing with anxiety. I was struggling, and I don’t use those terms lightly.”
