“Locked in” Conor Benn quits social media to chase WBC title

Conor Benn today announced he was retiring – from social media. 

He did so by announcing the retirement on social media, therefore upholding the somewhat amusing tradition of those who publicly retire from social media only to inevitably return to social media at a later date.

More interesting than Benn’s claim of “no socials” was a reference to the year 2025 followed by the words “WBC World Champion”. It is interesting, this mention, only because Benn is not a WBC world champion, nor a champion of any description, so one must assume he aims in 2025 to challenge for and potentially win a WBC title, presumably at welterweight. 

That is a belt currently held by Mario Barrios, a 29-year-old American with whom Benn, 23-0 (14), has lately been linked. Barrios won the vacant belt in September 2023 when he beat Yordenis Ugas over 12 rounds and has since defended the belt twice, last year beating Fabian Maidana and drawing against Abel Ramos. Prior to this reign Barrios, 29-2-1 (18), had lost fights against Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman, which maybe highlights his ceiling, and no doubt Benn and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, see the Texan as the path of least resistance at 147 lbs.

Equally, there is every chance Barrios and the world’s other top welterweights believe that now is a good time to fight Benn and capitalise on the inactivity and uncertainty that has blighted the Briton’s career in the past two years. That’s perhaps why Benn, in the same social media post, made a point of saying he is now “locked in”, meaning focused, determined, ready to go. He has, after all, for the last two years been locked out.