‘Boxing fans wouldn’t want me to fight McKinson’ - Benn
Conor Benn has claimed fight fans have no interest in seeing him face-off with Pompey's Mikey McKinson in an all-British welterweight showdown.
But the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn refused to rule out a possible huge domestic dust-up with tricky southpaw McKinson at some stage in the future.
The new generation Benn, Conor, 25, is off the back of taking his perfect professional record to 21-0 after his quickfire KO victory over South African Chris van Heerden last month.
Benn is now eyeing a return to the ring in the summer, with some suggesting a possible all-British battle with tricky southpaw McKinson should come next.
Currently, Benn sits as the secondhighest ranked 147lb fighter in the UK with 22-0 McKinson down in fourth, while the other top-four rated duo – Kell Brook and Amir Khan – are in their twilight years, possibly retiring from the sport after their recent grudge meeting.
The Ilford-based Benn says he has no interest in what he believes would be a 'boring fight' against McKinson - at least for the moment.
Speaking to iFL TV, Benn said: ‘Of course he (McKinson) wants to fight me. The fans wouldn't be interested in that fight because they know what McKinson brings.
‘Listen, you never see a boring Conor Benn fight but, I mean, I feel like that would have the potential to be quite a boring fight (v McKinson) - not from my part, I'm not interested in boring fights.
‘He (McKinson) does what he's got to do to get the win, so it's obviously effective.
‘It's not a matter of whether I think I'd win, I know I'd win, it's not a matter of me thinking, ‘stay clear of him’. He's just terrible stylistically in terms of I don't want that sort of fight. I'd rather a fight.
‘For a world title, when I bring the world title home, of course, it makes for a big domestic and that's what the public want.’
Benn was complimentary of McKinson's capabilities, however. ‘‘Michael McKinson, obviously, I feel like we're the ones leading the way for British boxing - in terms of winning a world title - it will be me and McKinson at the present moment.
‘I feel like we've got the most momentum and we're miles ahead of anyone on the British scene.’