Conor Benn makes his loudest statement yet
Conor Benn trounces gatekeeper Samuel Vargas inside 90 seconds. Steve Bunce reports from ringside
CONOR BENN sent out an old-fashioned message during a night when legitimacy was a backdrop to the action.
Benn left Samuel Vargas helpless and hopeless on the ropes, forcing the referee, Michael Alexander, to intervene after just 80 seconds of the first round. It was the end nobody predicted, not even the gushing patriots in the Benn business.
Vargas was separated from his senses, trying to fight, looking for an answer and trying not to walk like a drunk. He had no complaints about the stoppage and was a short hook away from being dropped for more than the global rites of 10.
Conor Benn stopped Samuel Vargas in just 82 seconds to retain his WBA Continental Welterweight crown in London on Saturday Photo Credit: Dave Thompson/Matchroom Boxing
Conor Benn made an explosive statement at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney, as he defended his WBA Continental Welterweight title in style, halting Samuel Vargas in just over 90 seconds on Saturday
Vargas (31-7-2, 14 KOs) had only previously been stopped by Vergil Ortiz Jr, Errol Spence Jr and Danny Garcia, and was expected to provide the stiffest test to date for Benn.
’The Destroyer’ made a fast start, and displayed his hand speed, landing with some spiteful shots.
Joe Smith Jr. did not take the path of least resistance to reach his second shot at a light heavyweight world title. As he prepares to step into the ring on Saturday against Maxim Vlasov at the Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma (10 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN+), with the vacant WBO belt on the line, Smith has been through the spectrum of the highs and lows that come with championship-level boxing.
After getting knocked out in his seventh professional fight back in 2010, Smith (26-3, 21 KOs) rattled off 15 wins over the next five years in the leadup to two victories that changed his career a first-round TKO win over Andrzej Fonfara, followed by a KO of Bernard Hopkins in which Smith knocked Hopkins out of the ring and ended his career with one punch. Smith was an underdog in both of those fights, and he d continue to carry that tag as the fights got even bigger.
John Hedges: Criticism & Punches, Taking it on the chin
John Hedges will looks to prove the doubters wrong in his second professional bout on the undercard to Conor Benn vs Samuel Vargas.
John The Gentleman Hedges will be looking to prove the doubters wrong this weekend. Photo Credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom
John Hedges was thrust into the limelight back in October 2020, when he made his professional debut live on Sky Sports on the undercard to Joshua Buatsi vs Marko Calic.
Hedges failed to impress the fans although overcoming Jan Ardon over four rounds. The social media backlash was as ferocious as a prime Mike Tyson as fans and critics were angered at being deceived by the hype pre-fight.
Conor Benn takes on Samuel Vargas.
Conor Benn defends his WBA Continental Welterweight title for a fourth time, and it’s another gradual step up in class as he meets ten stone seven gatekeeper Samuel Vargas over ten rounds at the Copper Box Arena, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN worldwide.
Benn (17-0, 11 KOs) is still only 24, but the comparisons to his illustrious father Nigel have resulted in a lot of expectation placed on him ahead of his clash with Vargas (31-6-2, 14 KOs)
‘The Destroyer’ has been matched well so far in a 17 fight career that began in April 2016, and his only real scare came in a December 2017 six round thriller with Cedrick Peynaud, where he was down twice in the opener, before rallying to drop Peynaud in rounds five and six to secure a disputed points win.