England's Nigel Benn won world titles at middleweight and super middleweight and was a fierce warrior who became one of boxing's most popular fighters during his 1990s heyday. Now his 19-year-old son, Conor Benn, is going pro.
Been, who will fight as a junior welterweight, will make his professional debut against an opponent to be determined on the undercard of the Charles Martin-Anthony Joshua heavyweight world title bout on April 9 at the O2 Arena in London, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced Wednesday.
"I'm Conor Benn, but I'll always be known as Nigel's son," he said. "Until I get inducted into the Hall of Fame, until I win world titles at three weights -- not two, because that's what my dad did and I need to do more -- until I've become the youngest world champion or won more belts, I'll always be Nigel Benn's son, and achieving more will be very hard.
"I've been boxing for about three years now. I didn't know that fighting was made for me but I do now. I think I've progressed really quickly. People say it's because of my surname. It's because of that and that I can fight like my last name."
Benn, who will be trained by Tony Sims, said his father did not want him to fight to at first but he realized it was something he wanted to do, so left Australia, where he has been living, to come to England for a professional career.
"He thought that I would give it a try and have it as a hobby, but it escalated really quickly," Conor Benn said. "He said there were a million other things to do, why do you need to fight? But I have no choice but to fight because it's in me. It's what I want to do. I want to be the best.
"I'm scared about my debut. I've come to England by myself, and the pressure on my shoulders is intense. But the fans have embraced me already. I feel they are going to be behind me, but I thrive on fear. No one understands the position I am in, to have a legend as a dad and then move across the world at 19, leave my family behind, walk into media pressure straight away. But once a day I have a feeling that no one can touch me, because if anyone wants to have it with me, I'll have it with them."
Said Hearn: "Sometimes you meet a young fighter that just gets you excited. Conor Benn has that look in his eye, that hunger and genes you just cannot buy. Watching him progress under Tony over the past few months has been a pleasure to watch. He had a style so similar to his father but is completely his own man. This is going to be a wonderful journey and fight fans need to be very excited about Conor Benn."
Nigel Benn, 51, known as "The Dark Destroyer" during his fighting days that produced memorable fights with Chris Eubank, Gerald McClellan and others, will attend a news conference to introduce his son to the media on Tuesday in London but said he would give Conor the space he needs to forge his own path.
"I'm really excited for Conor. He's incredibly talented," Nigel Benn said. "If I look at myself at 19 next to Conor, there's no comparison. He's so much better than I was. He has all the fighting instincts in him, and he's got so much ability. He's going to be special and he's going to go on and be better than me. I really believe that. He's got the heart of a fighter.
"Conor is his own man. He's not following my footsteps. He's making his own path and he's completely different to me and I want him to have his own identity. Conor doesn't need me. He'll get to the top without me and surpass everything I achieved -- I really believe that."
Nigel Benn recounted a story about his son that made him believe he was ready to be a pro.
"I sparred with him recently and I tried to knock him out -- seriously. He said 'yeah?' And I threw the kitchen sink at him and he threw it back at me," he said. "I was 20 kilos heavier than him and he said 'I'll have it with you.' He was [a junior welterweight] and I'm at cruiserweight, but I tried to bang him out and he wouldn't budge. I've filmed that and when he becomes world champion I'll show it to everyone. That's how good he is."