It’s not about the money

CONOR WON’T PUT PRICE TAG ON GLORY

CONOR BENN insists growing up in luxury has not stifled his hunger to be a world champion.

In fact, he believes it helps him because instead of chasing riches he is only interested in gold belts handed out by sanctioning bodies.

Benn, 24, looks to continue his rise up the welterweight rankings against Samuel Vargas at London’s Copper Box tonight.

The son of two-weight world champion Nigel never felt he had to follow in his father’s footsteps. Living in Australia, with money available, he didn’t have to fight to pay the bills.

But the boxing bug bit him and now he is only interested in winning world titles like his dad.

“My motivation goes way beyond the luxuries of life, it’s about being a winner and me achieving my full potential,” Benn said.

“It’s not about luxuries. That comes from my upbringing because my dad had nice cars and I lived in nice houses. So what? That’s not my end goal.

“What do I represent and stand for? How good can I be? That’s the motivation.”

Benn knows he has been given a leg up by being the son of a famous fighter.

He even admitted his dad talking him up on Sky’s now redundant show Ringside eight years ago was just “smoke” as he hadn’t even started boxing at 16.

In the early days of his professional career he looked as raw as any novice.

Even in 2018 it looked questionable if he could thrive in a 10st 7lb division full of talent.

It is still not a given but even his biggest critics have to admit his improvement over the last 18 months has been impressive.

As a result, Benn looked a more rounded product in his win over Sebastian Formella late

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CHASING BELTS: Conor Benn and (left) with his famous father Nigel last year. In Vargas, he faces another test of his credentials against a fighter who floored Amir Khan yet showed his own vulnerabilities in a 2018 bout.

The Colombian has lost six times, three by knockout, so a stoppage win from Benn is expected if he is to live up to promoter Eddie Hearn’s hype.

The Matchroom chief believes world titles and pay-per-view fights are within touching distance but there should still be caution around Benn.

This will be his 18th professional fight but there’s no rush to throw him in with the best in the division yet.

Benn added: “You have to make major changes and adapt to become a well-seasoned pro or a world-level fighter.”