Conor Benn stopped Chris van Heerden in two laps in an impressive performance at Manchester Arena on Saturday. Ben, now undefeated in 21 fights, looked for the knockout from the first bell, going up at every opportunity in the first round. Van Heerden survived the first round, but fell to the canvas in the second from a vicious combination. The victory keeps Benn well on his way to claiming a world title this year.
What’s next for “The Destroyer”?
Ben invited former world champion Amir Khan to accompany him to the ring after the victory, but his British opponent downplayed the possibility of a possible showdown. Khan, criticized by the Manchester crowd, said his only focus was on spending time with his family after losing his vengeful fight against Kell Brook earlier this year. Brooke is another option for Ben, although previous talks have failed due to “Special K” requirements in the wallet. “He will not be the next Amir Khan,” Eddie Hearn said in the ring after the match, but a Matchroom supporter promised that Benn would be in a “serious battle” thereafter.
Is Ben ready for a world title shot?
Ben wants to be a world champion this year It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. WBO champion Terence Crawford has given no indication of his plans since splitting from the former Top Rank supporter, and there is an unification clash in America between WBA (Super) champion Yordenis Ugas and the belt holder. WBC and IBF Errol Spence Jr. Ben will have to wait until the future of the champions becomes clearer, but the Briton’s 21st consecutive victory still leaves many questions about his potential at the elite level. Van Heerden was definitely one step down for Benn after big wins over Chris Algieri and Adrian Granados, and the South African – who had not played since 2020 – did not fit into the sharp, fit Benn. The jump from the world title contender is quite significant and Benn has not yet faced a serious contender. There is still a brutality for Benn that causes exciting battles, but raises questions about how he would go about it against a skilled pilot. Van Heerden demanded a bit of finesse from Benn, but he was sometimes caught rushing when he gave up using his jab in search of a great shot. There is talk of Danny Garcia and Adrien Broner and Benn definitely needs a fight of this caliber to prepare for what a mammoth will ask to dethrone people like Spence Jr. or Crawford.
