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 desires subsequent.
However there was one identify obviously absent from his record 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 in all places 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 desires a World Title, this man (Lewis Crocker) welcomes the problem! Let’s go Matchroom Boxing we’re prepared!”
Crocker shared an identical sentiment to his fellow Belfast-man instantly after Benn’s put up struggle interview, taking to social media to precise his frustration at being ignored by a fighter claiming to pursue world titles.
The newly topped champion didn’t disguise 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 mean time, 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 perfect location for the showdown, stressing that the struggle belongs to Belfast, and that Crocker is greater than able to defend the belt at dwelling.
Talking to 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 “a giant spring, summer time 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 prime of Crocker’s wishlist.
“Conor Benn being the principle one which Lewis desires, they’re the large huge mega-fights he’s in search of,” he mentioned.
Benn’s complete dispatchment of Eubank Jr solely strengthened Conlan’s perception that the struggle is smart subsequent.
Earlier than the struggle, he admitted he hoped Benn would come by means of cleanly to arrange a world title showdown, he informed Irish-Boxing.com that in a really perfect world “Benn wins, Benn seems to be good, Benn comes by means of, 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 Staff Crocker’s perspective the pathway couldn’t be clearer, if Benn desires 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.
