Garcia Defends WBC Belt Against Benn In Vegas

Ryan Garcia defends his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn on Saturday night in Las Vegas, headlining a Paramount+ card that features cruiserweight action between Jai Opetaia and WBC champion Noel Mikaelyan.

Garcia won the belt in February with a wide decision over Mario Barrios. Benn returns to welterweight for the first time since April 2022, per Bad Left Hook, following a Fight of the Year-level war with Chris Eubank that helped erase the damage from a failed drug test that sidelined him during his prime. Benn beat Eubank again in a 2025 rematch and most recently outclassed Regis Prograis at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.

Opetaia-Mikaelyan Anchors Undercard

The co-feature pits Opetaia against Mikaelyan for the WBC cruiserweight strap, though Bad Left Hook noted the belt might not be on the line given the IBF title issues when Opetaia made his Zuffa debut. Also on the card: Mark Magsayo against Andres Cortes and Jose Ramirez facing Alexis Rocha.

Prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET on Paramount+ with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET. The weekend also features Giovani Santillan against Abass Baraou on ProBoxTV Friday night from Oceanside, California. Santillan lost his only world title attempt to Brian Norman, while Baraou previously held the WBA super welterweight title before dropping it to Xander Zayas.

Saturday afternoon brings Misfits Boxing from Newcastle, England on DAZN, with Jordan McCann meeting Charlie Cox. McCann is still searching for his first win after losing to Ibiza Final Boss in June.

Reported via:

• Bad Left Hook — Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn, Jai Opetaia, and more: Boxing schedule and previews for September 11-12, 2026