Welterweight contender Conor Benn (22-0, 14 KOs) returns to the ring this Saturday night, February 3rd, to face American Peter Dobson (16-0, 9 KOs) in the 12-round showcase-level fight on DAZN in an odd matchup at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Chelsea Ballroom, Las Vegas.
Benn possesses the power and explosiveness to be one of the best at 147, but he’s got to stay active and begin fighting better opposition. It would be good for him to avoid wasting time on celebrity fights against domestic-level fighters like Chris Eubank Jr. and focus on fighting top-level guys in his weight class.
Power and Promise with a Caveat
It’s unclear why Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has put the 27-year-old Benn in with Dobson. He says he wants the “big names,” and this guy isn’t even on the map. Benn is capable of fighting top five level fighters at this stage of his career, and he’s wasting his potential being babied by Hearn.
It’s a backward step from Benn’s last opponent, Rodolfo Orozco, who was an obscure fighter as well but tough, big, and durable. Dobson doesn’t figure to be as good as Orozco, so he’ll likely fold early.
Shadow of The Father
At 27, Benn is trailing what his famous father, Nigel, had done with his own career up to this point, and he will need to move quickly to catch up to him.
“Does it bother me that the big fights aren’t being made? Of course, it does,” said Conor Benn to DAZN Boxing. “There’s a lot of talk, but I don’t know how much more I’ve got to do to make these big fights.
After Benn does a number on Peter Dobson this Saturday, he needs to begin facing these contenders at welterweight:
- Giovani Santillan
- Alexis Rocha
- David Avanesyan
- Cody Crowley
- Shakhram Giyasov
- Roiman Villa
Frustration Mounts, Seeking Big Fights
“I’ve been beefing with everyone with a big name, saying, ‘I want this fight,’ and they want the fight, too. It’s just frustrating that the fights aren’t being made because I don’t know what else I can do on my part.
“I’ve delivered ten out of ten. It is frustrating, but I take my frustration out on my opponent. I’m still only 27-years-old. I feel like I’ve been in this game for ages,” said Benn.
