Conor Benn Stopped Chris Van Heerden

Conor Benn stormed to victory at the Manchester Arena on Saturday, stopping opponent Chris Van Heerden in under two rounds. 

Benn is unbeaten in 21 fights and has his sights on bigger prizes, admitting that he is eying up the chance to challenge bigger names.

But after inviting Amir Khan to join him in the ring, it seems that Benn will have to look elsewhere for his next fight. 

Van Heerden wasn’t expected to beat Benn, but few predicted the British boxer would send his opponent crashing to the floor in under six minutes. 

Benn, the son of British boxing legend Nigel Benn, showed his quality as he ruthlessly dispatched his South African rival. Van Heerden had been out of the ring since 2020, and on the night, it showed. 

After surviving an onslaught in the first round, the second round brought more of the same for Van Heerden. A brutal combination from Benn caught Van Heerden, putting him on the canvas - which is where he stayed. 

Benn was sharper all round and was gunning for a knockout from the start. But this eagerness could prove to be his undoing against a more formidable fighter, as Van Heerden managed to catch Benn occasionally when he was trying to land the big punches. 

The British boxer claims to be the best in the country right now, but there are still signs that he has some raw edges to work on. 

Promoter Eddie Hearn admitted that Benn will need to take a step up if he wants to fight with the top names. 

Describing him as “the most exciting fighter in the country right now”, Hearn agreed that it was “time for the step up this summer.” 

Hearn pointed to Benn’s record of “demolishing guys” as proof that the fighter is ready to move to the next level. Naming Benn, Danny Garcia, Adrien Broner and Mikey Garcia as “elite welterweights”, Hearn claimed that his prodigy is the best of the bunch. 

Benn insisted that there was no question of a points victory, saying it was only ever “a matter of time” until he landed a knockout blow. 

At the end of the fight, Benn invited ex-world champion Amir Khan into the ring, and the pair amicably shared the microphone. However, the Sheffield boxer was booed by the crowd when he refused to agree to fight Benn.

Much has been said about a possible comeback for Khan, with Benn mooted as a potential contender. However, Khan has refused to confirm that he will return to the ring after being beaten by Kell Brook in a grudge match earlier in the year. 

Kell Brook could be another possible opponent for CONOR Benn. The rumour mill suggests that a fight deal couldn’t be hammered out as Brook’s financial demands were too high - and why it’s still unlikely to be on the cards. 

Terence Crawford, WBO champion, is a fight that Benn would love. He admitted that if he was offered the chance of a world title fight, he'd accept instantly. Crawford has recently split from his promoter, so it may well be that Benn will need to be patient if this is the fight he really wants. 

However, with another strong win under his belt, all eyes are on Conor Benn to see what he does next.