Two of boxing’s most controversial stars are set to headline a card in Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day weekend.

Dressed in a tuxedo, WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday.

It has been almost three months since Garcia claimed his first world title with a wide points victory over Mario Barrios.  The 27-year-old now appears set to make the first defence of his championship in September against a fighter who has spent recent months chasing a shot at the American.

Garcia vs. Benn to fight on September 12

Revealing his challenger to Fallon, Garcia said:

“I can say that we are fighting September 12. It will be in Vegas.”

After initially attempting a drawn-out reveal, Garcia eventually named his opponent.

“I’ll just say his name because I love this show. His name is Conor Benn. He’s talking a lot. He actually confronted me at an awards show two years ago. My wife was there and he just pressed up on me, he grabbed me. So, it’s a little personal. We’ll be ready to go get him.”

While Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs) has campaigned at welterweight in his last two fights, his would-be challenger Conor Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) has not made the 147lb limit since April 2022, when he flattened South African veteran Chris van Heerden.

A tale of two drug scandals

Later that year, Benn twice tested positive for the banned substance Clomifene, ultimately scrapping his scheduled catchweight bout with Chris Eubank Jr. in October. Following a two-year battle with UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control, Benn’s provisional suspension was lifted. During that period, however, he fought twice in America at 153lbs and 150lbs.

Since then, Benn has faced Eubank twice, winning one and losing one, while most recently out-pointing another veteran, Regis Prograis, at a weight of 149½lbs. Despite a four-year absence from the welterweight limit, the WBC has installed the 29-year-old as the mandatory challenger for Garcia’s title.

Garcia himself was at the centre of a performance-enhancing drug controversy following his convincing victory over Devin Haney in April 2024. The majority decision win in their grudge match was later overturned to a No Contest by the New York State Athletic Commission after Garcia tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine. The Californian received a one-year ban, a $10,000 fine and was ordered to forfeit his $1.2 million purse.

At the time of writing, Garcia vs. Benn has not been officially announced. Garcia is promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, while Benn is aligned with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.

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