Conor Benn taken to hospital as he reveals first reaction to brutal Ryan Garcia loss

Benn was stopped in the second round of Saturday night’s high-profile main event in Las Vegas as he unsuccessfully challenged for a world title for the first time in his 10-year professional career.

Referee Thomas Taylor stepped in to wave off the bout after Benn was slumped against the ropes and subject to a spiteful onslaught from Garcia, who ruthlessly went for the finish after initially flooring his opponent with a powerful right hand.

That emphatic display saw Garcia easily mount a successful first defence of the WBC welterweight belt he claimed in dominant fashion against Mario Barrios back in February.

Benn did not conduct any post-fight media interviews following his comprehensive early loss at T-Mobile Arena, with Zuffa Boxing chief Dana White revealing that they intended to send him to hospital as a precaution.

Not only was he subject to heavy punishment from Garcia on fight night, but Benn also endured a gruelling weight cut to make the 147lb welterweight limit on his first fight in the division for almost four-and-a-half years.

Benn admitted earlier this week that the cut felt like he had been “dragged down to the pits of hell, had a fight with Satan and God brought me back to life” as he described it as the “hardest thing” he had done, having fought arch-rival Chris Eubank Jr twice at middleweight last year before then battling Regis Prograis at a 150lb catchweight in April.

“Yeah, we want to send Conor to the hospital, yes,” promoter White said in his post-fight press conference. “He was just back here now, I don’t know if he went already or not.

“We definitely want to send him. I don’t mess with that stuff.”

While he did not speak to the media after only his second loss in 27 pro fights and first ever by stoppage, Benn did take to social media to send a short message, insisting that he had no excuses for the performance as he praised Garcia.

“Not my night, no excuses,” he wrote on X. “@RyanGarcia you’re a great champion.”