Conor Benn
PRO BOXER, TKO ARTIST London-born welterweight Conor Benn stands a full head-and-shoulders shorter than the current golden boy of British boxing, Anthony Joshua. But this relatively diminutive stature belies a left hook that’s dumped two-thirds of his opp
AGE 20 “When I hit the bag, I’m going to take it off its hinges. That’s the mindset”
approach to training. “For my weight level, endurance is key,” says Benn. “As you get heavier, you’ve got to bang. But at welterweight you’ve got to be rapid.”
That jaw- crunching explosiveness comes from a gruelling regimen built around plyometrics and sprints. “People think it’s going crash, bang, wallop on the night and that’s it,” he says. “But there are so many factors.” Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays bring an early run, afternoon
sparring session and evening weights circuit; Tuesdays and Thursdays start with 7am sprints followed by weights and pad work. Each session is punctuated by an all-important nap. “I’m either at the gym, in bed, or watching Jeremy Kyle,” he laughs. “In [training] camp, that’s my life.”
The son of former World Champ Nigel, Benn acknowledges the genetic advantage of his patrilineage. But crucially, he says the most important thing he’s inherited is his mindset. “My dad trained like a savage,” says Benn in an Essex accent thicker than his upper arms. “When I hit the bag, I’m taking it off its hinges. That’s the mindset.”
The difference, however, is that there is considerably more method behind Benn Jr’s bid to become a title contender.
“The sport’s become more of a science. My dad didn’t know about eating six meals a day and still being able to lose weight – he was running in sweat suits, which we know today is unhealthy,” he says. “But I’m still learning, too. At one stage I was taking pre-workouts for all three sessions in a day and wondering why I wasn’t getting any sleep. These are the things I’m learning now: the way my body works.”
With a 100% record under his belt, that alone is a terrifying prospect for anybody brave enough to enter the ring with him.