After redeeming himself with a grudge match win over Chris Eubank Jr, Conor Benn introduced his intention to return to welterweight and chase world titles, identify dropping the likes of Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero, Devin Haney and Mario Barrios as fights he needs subsequent.
However there was one identify manifestly absent from his listing of potential opponents, that being IBF Welterweight Champion Lewis Crocker.
Benn’s refusal to say ‘The Croc’ instantly fuelled hypothesis that he’s avoiding the newly topped champion, showing to be trying all over the place besides Belfast for his subsequent struggle, regardless of Crocker holding a title that Benn claims to be pursuing.
Jamie Conlan has been one of many loudest voices calling for the struggle since Crocker defeated Paddy Donovan in Windsor Park earlier this 12 months. Reacting to Benn’s stateside centric callouts on-line, Conlan mentioned “Benn needs a World Title, this man (Lewis Crocker) welcomes the problem! Let’s go Matchroom Boxing we’re prepared!”
Crocker shared the same sentiment to his fellow Belfast-man instantly after Benn’s put up struggle interview, taking to social media to specific his frustration at being neglected by a fighter claiming to pursue world titles.
The newly topped champion didn’t conceal his annoyance, posting “How was my identify not even talked about put up struggle… I’m one in every of solely two UK world champions within the in the meanwhile, and at that I’m the one welterweight champion… Barrios being introduced up, and as a fellow Matchroom Boxing fighter I’m not even being spoke about? Lets do that.”
Conlan has constantly framed Belfast as the best location for the showdown, stressing that the struggle belongs to Belfast, and that Crocker is greater than able to defend the belt at house.
Chatting with Irish-Boxing.com after Crocker’s win over Donovan, he revealed they have been already exploring dates and venues, saying they have been concentrating on “an enormous spring, summer season showdown open air in Belfast, or Conor Benn again in Windsor Park.”
Past venues, Conlan hasn’t shied away from naming Benn because the struggle on the very high of Crocker’s wishlist.
“Conor Benn being the primary one which Lewis needs, they’re the large huge mega-fights he’s on the lookout for,” he mentioned.
Benn’s complete dispatchment of Eubank Jr solely strengthened Conlan’s perception that the struggle is sensible subsequent.
Earlier than the struggle, he admitted he hoped Benn would come via cleanly to arrange a world title showdown, he informed Irish-Boxing.com that in a super world “Benn wins, Benn appears to be like good, Benn comes via, if he’s prepared for the early a part of subsequent 12 months, it’s potential.”
Whereas Crocker nonetheless has different avenues to discover, together with curiosity in a unification bout with WBC World Champion Mario Barrios, each Conlan and Crocker insist the Benn struggle is the struggle that makes essentially the most sense proper now.
From Crew Crocker’s perspective the pathway couldn’t be clearer, if Benn needs a world title, he should undergo the champ, however till Benn acknowledges the Belfast man, the notion of Benn searching titles or American paydays will solely develop stronger.
