Former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch has highlighted one goal that Conor Benn should tick off before he thrusts himself amongst the elite contenders in the sport, stating it is tough to take the 27-year-old’s ambitious call-outs seriously as of now.
Benn has bounced back from a 13-month lay-off with two unanimous decision wins in the United States, first outpointing Rodolfo Orozco and then Peter Dobson across the pond.
Following the victories, ‘The Destroyer’ has been vocal in his demands to face his rival, Chris Eubank Jr, as well as pound-for-pound contenders, Terence Crawford and Devin Haney.
However, Froch believes Benn should aim to win a British title first, to aid his development and prepare him for fights of that magnitude, Boxing Scene reports.
“I don’t think enough fighters now hold the British title in high enough regard, ‘cause that’s how you learn your trade.
“Without winning my British title and defending it three times, against people like Matthew Barney; Tony Dodson; Robin Reid; Brian Magee… Them sort of fights –12 rounders where you’re struggling – get you ready for the fights that I had with Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor.”
“Conor Benn, for example, who’s now saying, ‘I’ll fight Terence Crawford.’ He can’t be jumping in with people like Terence Crawford and expect anybody to take him seriously, because he’s not at that level yet.
“It’s a process. You’ve got to do your apprenticeship, and that almost minimises the British title a little bit by saying it’s an apprenticeship – [but] it is.
“The foundations of becoming a man in the professional game – you go from being a contender to being a serious operator within professional boxing if you can win that British title.”
Now Benn is being linked to a showdown with one of the all-time great’s of the sport as Manny Pacquiao continues to be touted as a possible opponent.
