"He's not a boxer!" - Chris van Heerden dismissive of Conor Benn's skills

Conor Benn and Chris van Heerden will fight on April 16th in Manchester, England. Benn has a record of 20-0-0 and van Heerden has a record of 28-2-1.

In an interview with Matchroom Boxing, van Heerden criticized Benn's boxing ability:

"I'm a much better boxer than Conor Benn... In my opinion, Conor is an emotionally, angry fighter. He relies on his power. He cannot box with me... He's not a boxer! He's a power puncher and I don't rate him as a boxer."

Benn has won 13 of his fights by knockout and is most well known for his punching power. It was questioned whether or not his boxing ability would carry him beyond the regional and domestic level. However, wins over Samuel Vargas and Chris Algieri in 2021 silenced many former critics.

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Conor Benn vs. Chris van Heerden

Conor Benn is the son of Nigel Benn, a British boxing legend who was likewise known for explosive punching power. In response to van Heerden, Benn said that if his opponent doesn't respect him now, he will make him respect him in their fight.

Chris van Heerden, a South African boxer, has faced fighters such as Errol Spence Jr. and Jaron Ennis. He is a former IBO Welterweight Champion.

Benn is a heavily marketed prospect in the United Kingdom. He made a mark on the domestic scene after nine of his first ten bouts ended by way of knockout or technical knockout.

In 2021, Benn stepped up and fought Samuel Vargas, a Canadian and North American Champion. Vargas had previously faced boxers such as Errol Spence Jr., Danny Garcia, and Amir Khan. He was stopped by Benn following a series of devastating hooks and uppercuts in the first round.

Following his victory over Vargas, Benn won a unanimous decision victory over Adrian Granados in September of the same year. Granados had previously lost fights to the likes of Adrien Broner, Danny Garcia, and Shawn Porter.

In December 2021, Benn faced Chris Algieri, a former WBO World Champion, and knocked him out in the fourth round.

Check out Conor Benn's first-round KO of Samuel Vargas here: