Conor Benn returns to action this weekend when he faces Peter Dobson, live and exclusive on DAZN, in Las Vegas.
The British fighter is aiming to have a big 2024 and he can get his year off to the ideal start with a win over the unbeaten New Yorker.
Here, Tony Bellew joins DAZN and looks at a number of fights that Benn should be targeting this year.
Chris Eubank Jr
This is the one fight that won’t go away and as long as both fighters are active, there’ll always be a big demand to see Conor Benn face Chris Eubank Jr.
Everyone is aware that this fight should’ve taken place in 2022 and with everything that’s happened since, it’s still clear that there’s always going to be unfinished business until they get in the ring and settle their differences.
Their fathers put British boxing on the map over 30 years ago when they gave us two epic contests that made the country stand still but this fight could be even better, and I hope we get to see it in 2024 because I feel both fighters need it.
Vergil Ortiz
If not Eubank in a huge domestic fight, Benn needs to go out there and grab another big name to prove that he belongs at the highest level. Vergil Ortiz could be the way to go.
I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve seen from Ortiz, and like Benn, he’s climbing to the top in an impressive manner by stopping people or knocking them out.
This fight could take place at 147lbs or 154lbs, and the winner would be in an ideal position to knock on the door for a world title. It’s not got the prestige of a Eubank Jr fight, but it’ll go a long way in Benn proving that he’s the real deal.
Yordenis Ugas
Rather than jumping in the deep end with one of the major names at 147lbs, could Benn pick up a little bit more experience at a good level by trying to learn from a fringe contender?
Yordenis Ugas is well known in boxing circles due to his fights with Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence, and with his best days probably behind him, Benn could learn plenty from a fight like this.
Benn hasn’t seen much action recently and he may want to shake off a little rust and get some rounds in. Ugas could help with that, and it could also give Benn a win over an excellent fighter who is widely respected in this game.
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