Conor Benn defeated Chris van Heerden in comfortable fashion on Saturday night with a second-round TKO. Benn walked out in front of 20,000 people to face South African Van Heerden in the first time that Benn faced a Southpaw and is his first fight of a year in which the Brit plans to become the top ranked contender in the welterweight division.
He is currently at No 5 in the WBO, WBA and IBF rankings but tweeted in February that he was targeting the top of the division in order to seek out a world title. He wrote: 'Taking this year by storm. Coming for that #1 spot.' The South African, 34, will be the first southpaw that the 25-year-old has faced in his unbeaten career and poses a threat to his WBA Continental welterweight title.
Also fighting tonight is Campbell Hatton comfortably defeated his opponent, whilst Chris Billam-Smith secured an impressive win over Tommy McCarthy for the European cruiserweight Championship, in a rematch of a fight in July 2021 which Billam-Smith won via knockout.
Follow our fight night live updates below.
Amir Khan was weirdly in the ring with Conor Benn. DAZN made a big deal about it, don't understand why that happened.
Benn mentioned a fight with Khan, who did not seem too game.
Just like that! Conor Benn lands a nice right hand and drops the South African, which he does not get back up from and the referee calls it off!
Conor Benn planting his feet, going low and looking to explode up with those hook shots - Van Heerden looking to counter.
Benn is loading up ans swinging big, Van Heerden looks dangerous on the counter, though. He looks composed here, but clearly not the athlete Benn is.
A bit of a wild opening round from Benn. Could maybe calm it down a bit, use his quickness to outbox
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