Benn backed to emulate upset victory.
On the weekend, Britain’s much-hyped Moses Itauma was defeated in his vacant IBF heavyweight title bid against Filip Hrgovic, dramatically tiring after building a commanding lead over the course of the fight.
The circumstances of Itauma’s loss led many to question his preparation heading in, with boxing figures highlighting the 21-year-old’s perceived lack of stamina and conditioning.
Indeed, the bout against Hrgovic was the first time Itauma had been beyond the 6th round, and it was also his first scheduled 12-rounder. While plenty believed Itauma’s ability would get him over the line, it was ultimately that difference in experience–as well as Hrgovic’s near-unbreakable chin–that proved too much for talent alone to overcome.
One man who believed Hrgovic would pull it off is manager Keith Connolly. And despite denying one Briton of a world title on Saturday, he is confident in guiding another to one in just under two weeks from now.
That is because he also manages Conor Benn, who will be travelling to Las Vegas this month to battle Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title. And ahead of their bad-blood affair, Connolly has stated that Benn will pull off a very similar victory–and use very similar tactics–against Garcia that Hrgovic did against Itauma.
“It’s going to be exactly the same. My guy’s going to be in tremendous shape”, Connolly told SunSport. “Ryan Garcia is a great fighter, but my guy’s going to bully him. He’s going to bully him all over the ring.
“He might lose some rounds like Filip did, but he’s going to wear him out and knock him out.”
Should Benn pull off such a victory, he may just manage to seal over the cracks that have recently formed in a lot of British hearts.
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