Benn: I won’t suffer more Peyn

fight. I was jetlagged coming back from New York and I didn’t think I was going to fight when I came back.

“I thought the year was done, so my weight wasn’t too great and my face suffered an allergic reaction out there as well.

“Before the fight in New York, I had already booked to go straight to Miami after it – I looked at Peynaud’s record and took my eye off the ball. Lesson learned.”

Benn feels an allergic reaction suffered while preparing to face Brando Sanudo was more serious than he thought at the time.

But he has vowed to make up for his poor showing against Peynaud when he faces the journeyman again tonight.

He added: “I need to prove that I’m a level above my opponent here. I’m ready to box.

“I know I can box and I’m ready to have it and to entertain the British public.

“He nailed me with a shot in the first fight, he hurt me, but it’s all learning.

“It’s turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me.

“People didn’t know I had that bottle in me – I didn’t even know myself.”

Katie Taylor defends her IBF and WBA lightweight titles against Kimberly Connor on the undercard.

Heavyweights Dereck Chisora and Carlos Takam also square off on the bill at the O2.