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Boxing
Why does Conor Benn want Mario Barrios after Chris Eubank Jr. clash?
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Conor Benn will look to secure revenge for his family name when he faces off with Chris Eubank Jr. at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in The Ring: Unfinished Business later this year.
The pair resume their rivalry in north London seven months after the latter edged a modern British classic, with the action set to unfold on November 15 live on DAZN Pay-Per-View.
Yet while Benn admits he has unfinished business, the star has made no secret of his desire to drop back to his natural welterweight and pursue a title shot against Mario Barrios.
But just why does the Briton specifically want this opponent? What are the pair's recent results to suggest a dance? And does he have any other options? DAZN News explains.
Why could Benn face Barrios?
In simple terms, Benn wants to challenge Barrios for the latter's WBC welterweight crown, one of the division's four major straps, and follow his father Nigel as a world champion.
The match is far from implausible, either. Despite moving up to middleweight to face Eubank Jr. across the pair's bouts, the star still holds an impressive slot with the organisation.
Currently at number four, Benn is ranked inside the top fifteen that champions are generally made to challenge from, and has a relatively clear path to a potential dream shot.
What are the pair's recent results?
'The Destroyer' has fought only three times in the past three years following a lengthy spell sidelined, and suffered his first professional defeat against Eubank Jr. earlier this April.
The result moves Benn to a 23-1 record, but the defeat is arguably mitigated by the fact he moved two divisions for the bout - a mitigation that Barrios does not have up his sleeve.
'El Azteca' was held to a majority draw by Manny Pacquiao in July, his second straight draw - and there were plenty who felt the latter, sixteen years older, edged the scorecards.
Is there another option for Benn?
Benn's urgency to wrap up the Eubank Jr. era of his career - the pair were contracted for two fights originally - suggests he is keen to define his legacy with something else to show.
But Barrios may not choose to play ball on granting him an immediate fight, with Souleymane Cissokho, the current WBC mandatory challenger, and likely at the front of the queue.
If Benn is determined to get a strap, he could turn his attention to WBA champion Rolando Romero, the only other governing body where he is currently ranked as a contender.
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