Mexican Independence Day weekend belongs — in the boxing ring — to Ryan Garcia.
With Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez set to fight in Saudi Arabia in October, Garcia will defend his WBC welterweight title Sept. 12 against Conor Benn at T-Mobile Arena, Zuffa boxing president Dana White announced Wednesday morning. The Victorville, California, native, 27, captured his title from Mario Barrios in February at T-Mobile Arena with a dominant decision, setting the tone with a first-round knockdown.
Promoted by White, Benn, a 29-year-old Briton and the son of British boxing legend Nigel Benn, is the WBC’s top welterweight contender challenging for his first world title. Benn (25-1, 14 knockouts) last beat former 140-pound champion Regis Prograis at 150 pounds — after two middleweight fights against rival Chris Eubank Jr. — and hasn’t fought at the welterweight championship limit of 147 pounds since 2022.
The matchup reflects the star in Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) as one of boxing’s biggest draws, fighting in Las Vegas on a seminal weekend. Mexican Independence Day cards are typically reserved for Alvarez, the sport’s top draw who headlined last year at Allegiant Stadium, losing his undisputed super middleweight title to Terence Crawford.
Alvarez also had headlining bouts on Mexican Independence Day weekend in Las Vegas against Edgar Berlanga (2024), Gennady Golovkin (2022, 2018, 2017) and Floyd Mayweather (2013). Alvarez this year is due to fight Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title, though a date for the matchup — originally scheduled for Sept. 12 in Saudi Arabia — has not been finalized.
Promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, Garcia tops a card for the third time in Las Vegas — losing to Gervonta Davis in their 2023 matchup at T-Mobile Arena. His bout with Benn marks the second welterweight title fight locally in a three-week span, the other being WBA champion Rolando Romero’s defense Aug. 22 against Teofimo Lopez, also booked for T-Mobile Arena.
Rolando claimed (the interim version of) his title last May with a decision victory over Garcia in New York.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.
