Welcome back to the Mr Versace podcast. I'm your host, Mr Versace himself, Rick Reno. And joining me today are the two combatants.
They're going to collide in the next couple of months in one of the biggest fights this year, September the 12th in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas live and exclusive on Paramount Plus globally and in the UK and Ireland on the zone. King Ry Ryan Garcia defending his WBC welterweight championship against the mandatory challenger, the destroyer, Connor Ben. Connor, I'll start with you first.
Mexican Independence Day weekend. You're heading to Las Vegas. Some people may view it as Ryan's home court.
Any reservations about fighting across the pond? Uh, not not concerned in the slightest. I mean, it doesn't bother me at all.
I fought in uh the states before. No concern at all. Listen, all that matters is what's in that ring.
That's all that matters to me. You know, everything else is just noise. Um, but, you know, ultimately you want to put put on a good fight for the fans.
That's really what I'm here to do. Do you think for this event you this will be your fourth time in the States? Third time.
Third time. Third time in the States. Yeah.
Do you expect some of those Ben fans to cross the pond? Of course. No doubt.
Yeah. Yeah. I've had people follow me my whole career, you know, from the start, seen 10 years in, 10 years of hard work, 10 years from a novice to now where I'm challenging for a world title.
So, it's uh it's been nothing short of a blessing my journey. Um, and ultimately I feel like that's his destiny for me. Ryan, on your end, you've been pretty confident in saying, "This guy can't beat me.
" I was watching a video the other day where you said, "Yeah, I'm going to watch a little tape of Conor Ben. " After one round, you said, "That's all I needed to see. " You were convinced just off that one round, I know what's going to happen.
What do you see that some of the other people may not see that makes you that confident this is going to be all Ryan Garcia? I mean, uh, I see a lot of things that, you know, that when he's fighting that I could take advantage of. Um, not going to give into details, but yeah.
Um, I think I just have a lot more experience than him at this point. Um, I think that he's very ferocious and he puts in a lot of effort, but I definitely see that where he's lacking and I I know I could take advantage of it. Um, without a doubt.
I mean, there's been some questions that, you know, he hasn't fought in the welterweight limit for a very long time. Uh, you know, more about making weight than I would know. Do you think it's going to be a struggle for him to get down to 147?
I mean, he seems like a pretty big guy. Um, it's just the fact that he went to 160 and now he's going to shoot all the way down to 47. He did it once, I guess, with Regis 149.
Um, but those two pounds when you're cutting your weight is much more than you think. Um, but I overheard I didn't overhear, but I seen an interview of his coach saying that he only has six weeks to lose the weight. So, that may play a part.
I mean, I want him at his strongest. I'm just saying, yeah, what I think he's going to struggle with is making weight. Maybe he won't.
Maybe, you know, maybe he will. Was it a case, Connor, the last time out, you didn't have enough time to properly do the cut like you would do if you had a couple of more weeks? Go, bro.
I've been walking around at 170, 175 to 180 pounds for the past 3 years. I had 6 weeks to make 149, 150. I done it.
And you know why I done it? Cuz I'm disciplined. That's why I done it.
And this is why I continue to to to prove why I'm in this position, you know, because I'm disciplined. Because I can do it, you know. So for me getting down to 147, is it going to be grueling?
Is it going to be tough? Is it going to be hard? Of course it is.
But I live for that, you know. I ain't I ain't no softy over here, you know. I work hard.
I train hard. That's why I could have two years out the ring and jump straight in with Eubank at 160 in the stadium. That's why I could come back and dominate him again in the second fight because of the discipline.
And that's where I'm at now. And discipline will continue to prov. Now, you looked good in your last fight at 160.
What made you say to yourself to go to 47 rather than 54? cuz there were also some big fights you could have made at 154. They're big guys.
They're big guys. You know, when you're in the ring with Eubank. Yeah.
He's a big guy. You know, sparring light heavyweights. They're big men.
Do you know what I mean? So, fighting Regis was like a It was a runout fight, six weeks notice. And if that's what you're going off of, Ryan, obviously you're going off of the Regis fight.
I don't Obviously you are, cuz you weren't calling my name after the Eubank fight. Why would I call your name? 160 back down.
I said I was dropping back. I didn't know that. You knew I was dropping.
No, I didn't. I didn't know that you're fighting 160. UBC mandated me for number one position.
I was supposed to fight barriers. You You won a 160 fight and then you got mandated at 47. Yeah.
Well, I don't know. But I got made but I got that's what happened. That's why you're fighting me.
It weren't a choice. It weren't a choice. It wasn't like you went, "Oh, look, I'm going to pick you.
" I was mandating. You don't think I could have fought Deon Haney or anybody? I could have fought whoever I wanted to fight.
Yeah, but let's not talk about Hy cuz Hy won't fight you. I'm just saying. Let's not talk about Let's not talk about Hy.
I mean, I'm just saying. Let's not talk about I'm here right now and this is who you're fighting, but you weren't calling my name at all. It wasn't just fight.
It was just the fact that Okay. Well, listen. Listen, if he's bidding, if he's banking on on my last fight, only as good as your last fight, you say, but six weeks to get my weight down, that was the that was the fight.
That was the fight. And you know what? I done it well.
You know, I made weight okay, you know. So, no doubt I made 147 no problem. You know, he does make a point about sometimes people say you're only as good as your last fight, but if people would have said that about you going into the barios fight, a lot of people would have lost a lot of money.
100%. That's why I'm saying I'm not going off the Regis fight. I just told him that.
Um I just think that overall his whole package, him at his best too, I feel like I will beat him. That's why I said I want him at his best. I just said he may struggle to get to the weight.
I don't know if that's the cause for the Regis, you know, performance. Yeah, but I'm just saying what overall I see, I know I can beat him. And now that's what something we're going to have to prove come Saturday, you know, September 12th.
I mean, last time me and you sat down, you actually said, you know, we brought up the possibility of fighting Connor and you you said that would be a perfect fight for me next. Yeah, literally I've been saying that, you know, it's not something that's kind of came to my mind newly off the Reges fight. I've always known he'd be one of the big fights.
You know, he's a big star in the UK and you know, every time you get the UK versus the US, it's always big. In terms of his style, did you say to yourself that is a very good style for me? I mean, I just think that it's not so much the style to make a good fight.
For sure. You know, he's going to be coming. Um, you know, I never start off really slow in my fights.
Um, so you know, we're gonna get it cracking off the first bell. I already know what it is, you know, so I'm ready for, you know, it to get right away. Start right away.
It's gonna boom. Right when the bell rings, we're going to be going. And the last time we sat down, Connor, you explained to me about how it was a dream for you to go for that WBC title, to get the type of accomplishment that your father had gotten during his career.
Now you've grasped it because at first I know during that time period we sat down you weren't sure is it going to happen? Is it not going to happen? Now it looks like it's happening.
How does that feel now inside? Like I've reached that point that I thought about when I turned pro. Now it's here.
Yeah. I mean listen it's a blessing. I sit down and I pinch myself you know to do three stadium shows back home and then come to America to challenge the champion for the belt um you know in Vegas.
It's only it's what fighters dream of. It's what young fighters coming through in the game dream of achieving. You know, to avenge a loss to um a win of a family feud that's been carrying on for years, over 30 years to then challenge for a WBC world title straight away and drop back down from 160 and get the belt.
Yeah, it's history right there. So, for me, you know, it's there's fuel to the fire, you know, and um I think everyone's writing me off in this fight. But, you know, if I believe what everyone else said about me, I wouldn't be where I am right now.
I would not be sitting here right now if I believe what everyone else said about me. And Ryan, to that point, the same for you. When this fight was being made, there was a lot of politics involved.
Obviously, you're on the zone side of things. Also, Golden Boys involved. Uh Connor's boxing, you have Paramount involved.
Were you, you know, almost getting a little uh paranoid it may not happen with all different political angles involved? You know, it's funny. I never really got paranoid this time around.
Um, there's always drama whenever I'm trying to make a fight. I mean, it's been followed my whole career. Every time I'm trying to make something, either Oscar is saying something or uh, you know, just people just want to stop sometimes.
But, you know, I trusted my team. Um, I got a great manager and Lupe and you know, everybody's uh, if you, you know, if there's a will, there's a way. And uh I've showed that in the past before.
When I want a fight, it usually happens. And Connor, you've said that from the fights you've seen of Ryan, uh one of the big, I would say, detriments to him, you think, is mental state of mind and his composure. Do you see that as two of the biggest, I guess, keys for you in the ring?
if you could get him off his mental game. I I I genuinely sit here could not care less what state of mind he's in. Whether he's in a good state, bad state, I'm not here to be his carer.
I'm not here to look after him. I'm not here to put my hand around him and tell him everything's going to be okay. I'm here to beat him up come I'm here to beat him up come September 12th and take his belt.
That's my job. And I and I do my job. You know, when I'm saying he quit, he I would not take a knee and not get back up.
You're going to have to render me unconscious and knock me out. That's me. That's going to happen.
Yeah. [laughter] Yeah, we'll see. Yeah, we'll see.
Please don't temp me cuz it would just be hilarious when you're actually unconscious. Yeah, please don't. And you don't have the opportunity to take a knee.
That's going to be hilarious. Please don't. You can always say that.
Please don't tempt me. You always say that. Please don't temp me.
It's easy to get you going, huh? Yeah. Please don't tempt me.
I'm going to put my fist straight through your face. Do you understand? Smash them glasses.
Do you understand? Got it. Come try it again.
Sitting there. Try it again. Listen, it's proven.
It's proven. I'm not speculating. He takes a knee and don't get back up.
That's not a fact. That's not speculating. That's That's fact.
Mhm. What I've proven is a big pair of them. A lot of that and and the will to win and the will to win in a fight of the year up against a middleweight.
Do you understand? A 36y old. Do you understand that was you understand?
36y old. Think think all you want. You keep lying to yourself all day long.
If you think that was going to prove yourself, I believe it. I bet you do. Or the the stadium agreed that sharp man have no reflexes anymore.
If that's what you think, that's fine. He lost him the first time. What happened with you?
36 with you. Rolling. Was he 36?
I don't know how old he is. You think I'm bothered how old he is? You think I'm bothered about how old you are?
36. What's that got to do with anything? What are you talking about?
He's boxing, right? But 36. 36.
as good as he was when he was younger. No, I I don't listen listen. I fight I fight who I fight.
I fight who I fight and I and I beat him. Fight of the year and fight of the year. You ain't got the fight ain't got but you ain't got the minerals to go there.
You don't have the balls to go there. You just take the knee. You just take the knee.
You just take the knee. But you just take the knee and don't get back up. That's it.
That's it. With Roelly, you just got out boxed out class. Not bothered.
Nothing there. It was It was boring. Yeah, it was.
And then you magically got a world title shot. Yeah. And I got it and I won and I destroyed them and you got titles down happy as hell.
Yeah. So I could smash your head so I could smash your head. Listen, we're here now and I'm going to punch your head.
It is. I get We're here now. When I say something when I say something, I stand on it.
When I say something, I mean it. And I mean it. Five rounds or less.
I mean it. And I stand on that. You would not make it past five.
Yeah. But you talk anyway for clicks and views, bro. Yeah.
But you talk But I don't listen to what you're saying. I don't listen to people who quit. I don't listen to people who quit.
Got it. You have no minerals. You have no balls.
You have no werewolves. You have no You have no You have no werewol on the floor. Do you know what that is?
Yeah. All I care about werew is. All I care about is when you're down.
Exactly. Exactly. Exactly.
You don't know. You don't You don't know. I'm pretty sure it falls.
Well done. Thank you, man. Got another round of applause for you.
You just did. Now Ryan, you you've made it no secret that when you are sharp on your mental game, you're unstoppable in there. Yeah.
I know heading into the rolling fight, you said there were some issues, some distractions that played into it. But heading into the barios fight, you said, "Watch what I do in this fight. My mind is on point.
I'm on point in the gym. " Punch back. He threw her punches because of the speed.
He threw her punches. It was the speed. Oh, is that what it was?
You're going to see right there. You're going to get hit and you're like, "What the hell just hit me? " And it's going to happen over and over and over and then before you know it, you're going to get so angry and you're going to run into something bad.
Then you're going to be on the floor like, "What happened? " Then I'm going to finish you off. That's all is going to happen.
All right. Cool. We'll see when your heart gets broken.
Got it. Let's see. And you don't get back off.
How much you really take. We're going to see how much you could really take. We'll see.
We'll see. Okay. You were there Connor ringside.
We were at you right next to each other. Did you see a big difference between what he did with Barios? No.
Roelly was more active. Roelly was more on job. He was more he was in there more to win the fight.
Barios coming off three draws, four draws, however many. Um you know the draw against Pacquiao who's 50 where he didn't really come to win the fight. So it's like if that's his greatest win that's his greatest winer fight against somebody who who's just coming off three four draws.
That's his greatest win, right? Look it, man. He can talk all I got hard, I got big coho, all this.
The brain can only take so much. All gets one hit and his lights are out. It doesn't matter how much tough you are, how strong you are, how much effort.
One shot, you're out and then that's it. Boom. Night time.
Don't matter how much we'll see, won't we? Trust, bro. September, your sleep is going to be crazy because you'll see we have none of them.
You have none of them. But you have none of them. You have none of them.
Nothing. You have no minerals about you. You have no minerals about you.
We'll see. We'll see. You have no substance.
You will see, bro. We will see. I bet you I do.
I bet you are. He thinks I'm worried about a lightweight taking blows at middleweight. You think I'm worried about a lightweight?
Middleweight. A 36. You think you think I'm bothered?
So, where was the tough middle? You think you think I'm bothered about a lightweight? Got you.
Got you. You think I'm worried about busted up by a lightweight smaller lightweight? Regress was coming up.
You think I'm worried about his left hook? Hey, numb. Regress was head clashes.
Nut. Head clashes. You head clashes happen.
Head clashes happen. He was hitting you. Head clashes happen.
Yeah. You go swimming, you get wet. didn't even get hit once by him.
I don't I don't quit. That's it. But you were getting hit crazy, bro.
Listen. It was pretty sad to see so I get it. He's mad beat up by old arguing with my son arguing with my son.
What's his name? Chris. I mean, he only beat old people.
Chris Aljerry was out the door like, "Bro was only beat old. " That's it. What was it?
Sir, what's it? It's not arguing with like my son. Ryan, you see when a guy wins a world title, it automatically elevates him in every way, whether it's his confidence, fighting ability.
Do you feel a difference now that you have it as opposed to when you were chasing it? Oh, yeah, for sure. When you have it, you don't want to lose it.
You know, it's one thing to get it, but once you have it, it's like, all right, I want to get so far ahead, they can't ever catch up. So, you know, he's the first challenger, so, you know, it's going to be um it's exciting. You know, as you see, it's a big fight already.
you know, it's not like I took a challenge of, you know, somebody just regular. So, I'm excited. And Conor, you've said there are people that are overlooking you in this fight.
What is it about you that you think people underestimate the most when you get in that ring? I think people always underestimate my whole career, you know, and that's also completely fine. No amateur pedigree.
Um, you know, put on a big stage to perform. Some performances great, some performances not so great. ultimately I get the win and do what needs to be done to get the win.
Um, you know, but come September 12th, I want to highlight real knockout. Is there anything that you see in Connor that he doesn't get enough credit for? Uh, I just think that he um he's taken advantage of every, you know, opportunity he's had.
I mean, he's explosive. I mean, he they give him credit for what he is, you know. I think he's a great effort pressure fighter.
Um but that's about it. That's where it ends, you know. Um that's [snorts] it.
Yeah. You know, Mexican Independence Day weekend has been big in boxing, whether it's been Oscar headlining, Mayweather headlining, Canelo, Pacquiao. If you do exactly what you say you're going to do, is that going to become the Ryan Garcia weekend?
It's a big opportunity for me for sure. Um, if all goes well, you would think that, you know, so for me, I don't try to think too much of it. Yeah.
I just, you know, I'm focused what's in front of me. And, um, if whatever happens after that is what it's meant to be. If it's meant for me to take that date at all times and be the face of boxing and do all that, that's for what it's was what it's meant to be.
So, I just got to focus on what's in front of me. And Connor, for you, would this be I guess that start of a US campaign or not to look too far ahead? Whichever opportunity will come first, that's where you're going to go.
Listen, I I take the opportunities. I take the fights. When offered me, you banker 116 call, no problem.
When they offered when R got presented, no problem. I've been calling for the shot, I got my shot. And when I shoot, I don't miss.
Now, has this become in any way personal as for you or is it just he's in your way of something you need to get? He's in my way. This is nothing like you bank fight.
This is nothing like that was like a rivalry of 30 years of family feud. Yeah, it's generational. This is me just getting what I believe belongs to me.
This is me getting what I've worked hard for for the past 10 years. This is me fulfilling my legacy. This is this is me doing what I got to do.
You know that that's that's all it is. The more he talks more smack him in his face. And and Ryan, you're no stranger to trash talking.
You and Tank had a go. You've had a go with a couple of other guys. Does it ever get personal for you or do you just see it as business as usual?
It's part of the game. The only time it ever got personal was Haney. Um, I think for for Connor here, it's just, um, we both don't want to lose.
And, um, you know, I just don't let people really talk that I'm going to talk my back. And if he wants to get physical, we could get physical. We're about to get physical September 12.
It really don't matter, bro. Bro, you ain't about that. Shut up.
You ain't about that. You're not about that. Please.
Don't let Don't let the the social media fool you, bro. No, bro. If she tried to hit me, I would knock you the out, bro.
You do man. You ain't do bro. Bro, you won't do You won't do bro.
You're a little funny. I promise you I would. You don't do nothing.
You're a little I beat the way bigger people than you back in. You ain't doing nothing. Back in what day?
Back when I was younger, dumb ass. Shut up. What the you talking about?
What does back in the day mean, dumb ass? What does back in the day mean, dumb ass? Doing nothing.
I bet you don't know the switch. You don't know what's switch, bro. What's switch?
You seen her in high heels, bro. You think I'm going to take you serious? That's cool.
I think you see her with that hair. You see her look stupid, bro. You look like Top Ramen on the top of your head.
I'm about to eat some noodles. You're like a little child. Just shut up.
I'm a bad man. I'm a bad man. You're not a bad man.
Who are you though? Who are you? You were Silver Smoke, right?
Correct. Remember Remember I did this my whole life. You chose the box.
This is all I ever known. You I started Exactly. I chose the box.
Exactly. And this is all I ever known. There's going to be a big difference in that ring.
You're going to see way more patterns. You can't knock out bro. You just got here, bro.
You ain't about that life. Stop talking. You ain't about that life.
You ain't about that life. Who made you about that? You ain't about that life.
What kind of life? Where do you come from? I come from my dad's.
That's what I come from. Cool. My dad's nutsack.
Cool. Same thing. Nutack is American.
American nut. UK nutack. American nutack.
What's better? What makes a better nut sack? US.
You just say you're all Mexican. All that. You ain't no What are you talking about?
You ain't got no heart, man. Man, you ain't got no words. You ain't got no part getting punch in the face and keep going.
Born with it. You ain't You ain't born with it, bro. So, you're born with it.
I'm born with it. I'm a fire. I'm a fire.
You're not a fire. You're not You rely on your talent. You don't work hard.
Got it. Hard work beats talent when talent don't work hard. You know that saying, right?
You know that saying, right? Got you. So, I don't work.
You see why you've been partying? I've been working. Got you.
Got you. Okay. We're going to see.
We're going to see. Then it should be easy, right? If I've been doing that, it should be easy, right?
Yeah, it will be. It should be easy. It will be when it ain't easy.
You're getting your ass. It will be. We're going to see.
No. Yeah. I'm not sure.
Shut up. [laughter] Right. You just said that.
So, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Oh, yeah. You know, if you try Shut up. You're a hypocrite.
Shut up, you sus. You're a hypocrite. Hypocrite.
No, Ryan. Tempers flared a little bit at the media event. Do you think if security wouldn't have stepped into two, you would have went at it right there and then?
I have no idea. We don't know what he's like. He He He loves the attention.
He loves the show. We don't know what he's going to do. You're a little clout demon.
He's a demon. He's a little cloud demon. I could see it in his eyes.
He looks like a little gremlin. He's a little cloud demon. Like, you could see it.
He's like a little clout demon. Like, you have the brain of a 5-year-old. You have that IQ of a 5-year-old.
I got you. Right. Like, it's insane.
My son's smarter than you. Yeah, I can bet. I mean, it's mental.
I don't know. You got it. Got it.
Got it. All right. Like, you are the biggest idiot I've ever met.
Got you. You keep that beat. I forget if I'm here, but you've actually topped it.
The top of the tree of idiots. Thank you. Top of the tree.
Love you. Number one champion idiot. Got it.
So, in closing, Connor, [laughter] sum up in one sentence on why you think Ryan Garcia loses this fight. Because he just he ain't he just has no heart, man. He I just don't respect people who have no heart who want want to look for the easy way out.
I just don't I don't respect it. Is he talented? Is he athletic?
Is he young? Is he, you know, a marketing genius? Yeah, I give him that.
But I'm a fighter. So when I put it on him in there, we'll see. We'll see how see how he handles that.
See how he handles the heat. Come meet me in the middle of the ring. Come meet me in the middle of the ring.
Bang on. First round. Let's have a shoot out.
Let's do it. Let's have a shoot and we'll see who's still standing. Yeah, that was about good.
And for your part, Ryan, sum up in one one sentence why Connor loses this fight. Uh, he's going to learn real quick how actually experienced I am in the ring. And when he's doing these things, he thinks they're going to throw me off.
He's going to find out real quick I have an answer for all of them. And uh, as the round goes by, he's going to realize, damn, my level's just not here yet, you know? and he's going to come back and he's going to probably do really well, but this is just too much for him.
That's it. Well, this has been a very fiery episode of the Mr Versace podcast. And remember, this fight is one fight you can't miss.
I expect bombs away from the very first round. September the 12th, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. Garcia and Ben collide in the ring live and exclusive on Paramount Plus globally and in the UK and Ireland on the zone.
Until next time.
