Mr. Verzace Podcast

No Love Lost! Ryan Garcia & Conor Benn GO AT IT On Mr. Verzace Podcast | Ep. 30

Rick ‘Verzace’ Reeno Season 1 Episode 31

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0:00 | 25:03

Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn come face-to-face on the latest episode of Mr. Verzace Podcast.

SPEAKER_00

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 are 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 Rye, 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?

SPEAKER_02

Not concerned in the slightest. I mean, it doesn't bother me at all. I fought in the 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.

SPEAKER_00

Do you think for this event uh you this is be your fourth time in the States? Third time. Third time. Third time in the States, yeah. Do you expect uh some of those Ben fans to cross the pond?

SPEAKER_02

Of course, no doubt. Yeah, yeah. I've had people follow me my whole career, you know, from the start, seeing ten years in, ten years of hard work, ten 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 thought that's his destiny for me.

SPEAKER_00

Ryan, on your end, you've been pretty confident in saying this guy can't beat me. I was watching uh video the other day where you said, you know, I'm gonna watch a little tape of Connor Ben. After one round, you said that's all I needed to see. You were pr convinced just off that one round I know what's gonna happen. What do you see that some of the other people may not see that makes you that confident this is gonna be all Ryan Garcia?

SPEAKER_03

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 gonna give into the details, but um I think I just have a lot more experience than him at this point. Um I think that he's very uh 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.

SPEAKER_00

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 gonna be a struggle for him to get down to 147?

SPEAKER_03

I mean, he seems like a pretty big guy. Um it's just the fact that he went to one sixty and now he's gonna shoot all the way down to forty-seven. 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 what I think he's gonna struggle with is making weight. Maybe he won't, maybe you know, maybe he will.

SPEAKER_00

Was it a case, Connor, the last time out that you didn't have enough time to properly do the cut like you would uh do if you had a couple of more weeks?

SPEAKER_02

Going bro, I've been walking around at 170, 175 to 180 pounds for the past uh three years. I had six weeks to make one four nine. 150. I done it. And you know why I've done it? Because I'm disciplined. That's why I've done it. And this is why I'll 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 gonna be grueling? Is it gonna be tough? Is it gonna 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 of 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 provide out. And that's why I will make 147. And that's why we'll take that belt home.

SPEAKER_00

Now you looked good in your last fight at 160, but what made you say to yourself to go to 47 rather than 54? Because there were also some big fights you could have made at 154.

SPEAKER_02

They're big guys. They're big guys. You know, when you're in the ring with uh 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 run-out 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, because you weren't calling my name after the Eubank fight. Why would I call your name? You're 160. No, no, no. What wouldn't be the point of calling your name? I said I was dropping back. I didn't know that. You knew I was dropping back. No, I didn't. I just know that you're fighting at 160 that was a few. The WBC mandated me for number one position. I was supposed to fight back.

SPEAKER_03

You won a 160 fight and then you got mandated at 47.

SPEAKER_02

That's no sense. Well, we you I don't know what you're just saying. But I got made, but I got that's what happened. I didn't find that. That's why you're fighting me. It wasn't a choice. It wasn't a choice. It wasn't like you went, oh, look, I'm gonna pick you. I was mandated.

SPEAKER_03

I don't think I could have fought Devin Haney or anybody, I could have fought whoever I wanted to fight.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but let's not talk about Haney because Haney won't fight you. I'm just saying let's not talk about any. Yeah, but let's not talk about Haney. I mean, I'm just saying Let's not talk about it. I'm here right now, and that 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 biddy, if he's banking on my last fight, not 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've done it well. You know, I made weight okay, you know, so no doubt I made 147, no problem.

SPEAKER_00

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 Barrios fight, a lot of people would have lost a lot of money. 100%.

SPEAKER_03

That's why I'm saying I'm not going off the Regis fight. Yeah, 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.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

But I'm just saying what overall I see, I know I can beat him. And now that's what's something we're gonna have to prove come Saturday, uh, you know, September 12th.

SPEAKER_00

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.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, literally, I've I've been saying that. You know, it's not something that's kind of came to my mind newly off the regist 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.

SPEAKER_00

In terms of his style, did you say to yourself, that is a very good style for me?

SPEAKER_03

I mean, I just think that it's not so much the style to make a good fight. For sure. You know, he's gonna be coming. Um I you know, I never start off really slow in my fights. Um, so you know, we're gonna get a kraken 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 gonna be going.

SPEAKER_00

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 gonna happen, is it not gonna 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.

SPEAKER_02

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 bell. 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 of a um a win of a family feud that's been going on for years, over 30 years, to then challenge for a WBC World Tower 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 it'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.

SPEAKER_00

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 De Zone side of things, also Golden Boys involved, uh Connor's Reserve for Boxing, you have Paramount involved. Were you, you know, almost getting a little uh paranoid it may not happen with all the different political angles involved?

SPEAKER_03

You know what'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, it's just people just wanna stop shit sometimes. But you know, I trusted my team. Um I got a great manager in 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 to fight, it usually happens.

SPEAKER_00

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?

SPEAKER_02

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 gonna be okay. I'm here to beat him up, come sit, 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 I would not take a knee and not get back up. You're gonna have to render me unconscious and knock me out. That's me. That's good. That's that's gonna happen. Yeah, yeah, we'll see. Yeah, we'll see. Please don't tell me because I'm gonna go to the back. No, no, it'd just be hilarious when you're actually unconscious. Yeah, please don't tell me. And you don't have the opportunity to take a knee. That's gonna be hilarious. Please don't tell me. You always say that. Please don't tell me. You always say that. Please don't tell me. It's easier to get you going, huh? Yeah, please don't tell me. I'm gonna put my fist straight through your face. Do you understand? Smash them glasses. Do you understand? Got it. Do you understand? Come try it again. Come try it again. Listen, I'm trying to listen equally, it's proven, it's proven. I'm not speculating. He takes a knee and don't get back up. That's not uh fact, that's not speculating, that's that's fact. 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 the fight of the year up against a middleweight. Do you understand? A 36-year-old middleweight. Do you understand?

SPEAKER_03

That was a 36-year-old drain middle.

SPEAKER_02

Think all you want. You keep lying to yourself all day long.

SPEAKER_03

If you think that was, yeah, yeah, I believe it.

SPEAKER_02

I bet you do. Or the state the stadium agreed. That wing agreement didn't have no reflexes anymore. Legs gone. If that's what you think, that's fine. Lost him the first time. Is he 36? I don't know how he's 36. I'm bothered. How old he is? Is he 36? 36? What's the go to anything? What are you talking about? It's boxing, right? But 36, 36.

SPEAKER_03

As good as he was when he was younger. No. I don't know. Who I fight?

SPEAKER_02

I fight who I fight. And I'll be here with you. You ain't got the nigga. You ain't got the minerals to go there. You don't have the balls to go there. You just take the nigga, but they don't have the knee. You just take the mini things. And then you magically go well to power.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and I got it. And I went to the and I destroyed them and you magically wanna knock them down happy as hell. Yeah, it's a good speculated. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_02

Listen, we're here now. I'm gonna punch your head. We're here now. When I say something, I'll stand on it. When I say something, I mean it.

SPEAKER_03

And I mean it. Five rounds or less, I mean it, and I stand on that. You would not make it past five.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but you talk shit anyway for kicking views, dude. I'm just telling you. Yeah, but you talk shit. And you don't? I don't listen to me, I don't listen to people who quit. I don't listen to people who quit. You have no minerals, you have no balls, you have no wearwars, after you have no wearwars. And below, you have no wear was you have no werewars. You know what that is Spanish? Do you think you're on the floor?

SPEAKER_03

Do you know what that is? Yeah, I'll be aware you care about. Do you know what werewars is? All I care about is when you're down, exactly.

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. You don't know. You don't, you don't know. I'm pretty sure it's balls.

SPEAKER_01

Well done. Thank you, man. Go another round of applause for you guys. No, you just did. Pendejo.

SPEAKER_00

No, Ryan, you you've made it no secret that when you are sharp on your mental game, you're unstoppable in there.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I know heading into the role fight, you said there were some issues, some distractions that played into it, but heading into the Barrios fight, you said, watch what I do in this fight. My mind is on point. I'm on point in the gym.

SPEAKER_02

It threw no punches there because it's a speech.

SPEAKER_01

It threw no punches. It was a speed. Oh, is that what it was? You're gonna see right there.

SPEAKER_03

And it's gonna happen over and over and over. And then before you know it, you're gonna get so angry, and you're gonna run into something bad, then you're gonna be on the floor, like what happened? Then I'm gonna finish you off. That's always gonna happen. Alright, cool. We'll see when your heart gets broken.

SPEAKER_02

Got it. Let's see. And you don't get back to the stuff. We're gonna see how much you could really take. We'll see. We'll see. Okay.

SPEAKER_00

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 Barrio's?

SPEAKER_02

No, Roley was more active. Roley was more on job. He was more, he was in there more to win the fight. Barrios coming off three draws. Four draws, however many. Um, you know, a draw against Pacquiao, who's 50. Rolly didn't really come to win the fight. He's more in 12 round fight. How is he winning? So it's like if that's his win. That's his greatest win. He just win it was, bro. It was a disaster fight against somebody who who's just coming off three, four draws.

unknown

Right.

SPEAKER_02

That's his greatest win.

SPEAKER_03

Right. Look at man. He could talk, oh, I got hard, I got big covenants, 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, nighttime. Don't matter how much you have to see won't we trust, bro. Your sleep is gonna be crazy because you're gonna be like talking about heart, levels all this.

SPEAKER_02

You have none of them. Sleep. You have none of them. But you have none of them. Cool. You have none of them, nothing. You have no minerals about you. You have no minerals about you.

SPEAKER_04

We'll see.

SPEAKER_02

You have no substance.

SPEAKER_04

We will see, bro. We will see. I bet you I do.

SPEAKER_02

I bet you think I'm worried about lightweight, taking blows at middleweight. You think I'm worried about a lightweight? Middleweight, a 36-year-old. So where was the tough middleweight? You think I'm bothered about a lightweight? Got you, got you. You think I'm worried about a light light? You think a small lightweight regis is coming up?

SPEAKER_03

Hey, numnet.

SPEAKER_02

Regis was smaller. Head clashes. Numnet. Head clashes. Yeah, head clashes happen. Head clashes. He was kidding you. Head clashes happen. Yeah, it goes to him and you get wet. I don't quit. That's it. That's it. That's it. It's crazy, bro. It's a pretty sad thing. It's not so petty. I get it. He's mad beat up by old Regis.

SPEAKER_03

Arguing with my old people with my son. What's his name, Chris? I mean, he only beat old people. Chris Algieri was out the door, like, bro, was only beat old fighters.

SPEAKER_02

That's it. What's it? What's it? It's not arguing with my son.

SPEAKER_00

Ryan, they say 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?

SPEAKER_03

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 gonna be um it's exciting, you know. As you can 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.

SPEAKER_00

And kind of 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 range?

SPEAKER_02

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 on a highlight real knockout.

SPEAKER_00

Is there anything that you see in Connor that he doesn't get enough credit for?

SPEAKER_03

Um I just think that he um he's taken advantage of every you know opportunity he's had. I mean I think 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 it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

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?

SPEAKER_03

It's a big opportunity for me for sure. Um if all goes well, you you would think that, you know. So for me, I I don't try to think too much of it.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I just, you know, I'm focused on 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 what's meant to be. So I just gotta focus on what's in front of me.

SPEAKER_00

And Connor, for you, would this be uh 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 gonna go.

SPEAKER_02

Listen, I I take the opportunities. I'll take the fights. When offered me, Eubank at 160, cool, no problem. When I offered when Ryan got presented, no problem. I've been calling for the shot, I got my shot. And when I shoot, I don't miss.

SPEAKER_00

Now, has this become uh in any way personal as for you, or is it just he's in your way of something you need to get?

SPEAKER_02

He's in my way. This is nothing like Eubank fight. This is nothing like it 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 ten years. This is me fulfilling my legacy. This is this is me doing what I gotta do. You know, that that's that's all it is. The more he talks, the more I'm gonna smack him in his face.

SPEAKER_00

And Ryan, you know the stranger 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.

SPEAKER_03

The only time it ever got personal is Haney. Um, I think 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 shit to them. I'm gonna talk my shit back, and if he wants to get physical, we could get physical. We're about to get physical September 12th. It really don't matter, bro.

SPEAKER_01

Bro, you ain't about that. Sure. You ain't about that. You're not about that, bro.

SPEAKER_03

Don't let don't let the social media fool you.

SPEAKER_02

If Ashley tried to hit me, I would knock you the fuck out, bro. I promise you I wouldn't, man. You wouldn't do shit. Bro, you wouldn't do shit. You wouldn't do shit, bro. You're little foolish. I promise you I wouldn't do nothing. You're a little fine. I promise you I would beat the shit way bigger within you in the back of my body. Back in the day.

SPEAKER_03

I was younger, dumbass.

SPEAKER_01

What the fuck you talking about? What does back in the day mean? Dumbass, bro.

SPEAKER_02

Back in the day mean dumbass. You're just eating a switch. That's cool. You're still stupid. I'm gonna eat some noodles. You're like a little chalk. I'm a bad man. You're not a bad man. Who are you though? Who are you? You were still.

SPEAKER_03

Remember, I did this my whole life. You chose the box. This is all I ever known. You I started to chose the box. Exactly. And it's all I never known. It's gonna be a big difference in that. You're gonna see more pattern than that.

SPEAKER_02

You just got here. You in the ballot. Who made you the ball?

SPEAKER_03

What kind of life? Where do you come from? Where'd you come from? That's what I'm talking about. American Mexican. You can't American medicine. What's better than the stack? What makes it better than that?

SPEAKER_02

You're gonna be a Mexican or like man. You make a little bit of a channel. You're gonna make a chair. Getting punch in the face and keep going with it. You make you punching bone away. I'm born with it. I'm gonna give you a bat and before. You rely on your talent. You don't work hard. Got it. Hardware beats talent when talent don't work well. You know that that's selling right. You know that it's selling right at you.

SPEAKER_03

So I don't want to.

SPEAKER_02

See why you've been partying, I've been working. Got you, got you. We're gonna see. Then it should be easy, right?

SPEAKER_03

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, and you again your ass.

SPEAKER_02

It will be it will be. We're gonna see. Sharp. Right. You just said that. So you should have. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. You know if you try to get a shut up. You're a hypocrite. Shut up, you suspect. Hypocrite. Hypocrite.

SPEAKER_00

Ryan temper's flared a little bit at the media event. Do you think if security wouldn't have stepped in the two, you would have gone at it right there and then?

SPEAKER_03

I have no idea. We don't know what he's like. He he he he loves the attention, he loves the show. We don't know what he's gonna do. You're a little clout demon. He's the demon. He's a little clout demon. I can see it in his eyes. He looks like a little gremlin. He's a little clout demon. Like you can see it. Like a little clout demon.

SPEAKER_02

Like you're the brain of a five-year-old. You have that brain IQ of a five-year-old. I got you. Like it's insane. My son's smarter than you. Yeah, I can bet. I mean it's great. I don't even know how you got it. Got it. Got it. Alright. You are the biggest idiot I've ever met. Got you. You can pull that beat. I thought that would be a bit more. I thought it would be hard after you're done. But you've actually topped it. The top of the tree of idiots. Thank you. Top of the tree. Love me inside. Number one champion idiot. Got it.

SPEAKER_00

So if in closing, Connor. Sum up in one sentence on why you think Ryan Garcia loses this fight.

SPEAKER_02

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'll give him that. But I'm a fighter. So when I put it on him in there, we'll see we'll see how we 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 at it. Let's do it. Let's have a shoot at it. We'll see who's still standing.

SPEAKER_00

And for your part, Ryan, sum up in one one sentence why Connor loses this fight.

SPEAKER_03

Uh he's gonna learn real quick how actually experienced I am in the ring. And when he's doing these things he thinks they're gonna throw me off. He's gonna find out real quick I have an answer for all of them. And uh as the round goes by, he's gonna realize, damn, my love was just not here yet. You know, and he's gonna come back and he's gonna probably do really well, but this is just too much for him. That's it.

SPEAKER_00

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.