Usyk fights Chisora on October 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Wednesday 18 November 2020 13:52, UK
Conor Benn plans to go a step further than former world champion Shawn Porter by beating Sebastian Formella inside the distance.
Fan-favourite Benn steps into the toughest fight of his career on November 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office, on the undercard to Alexander Povetkin and Dillian Whyte's rematch.
Germany's Formella has lost just once in 23 fights, against ex-IBF and WBC welterweight champion Porter via unanimous decision.
"I don't worry about what he can do," undefeated Benn told Sky Sports' Toe 2 Toe podcast.
"It's my trainer's job to watch him. I don't need him getting in my head. I don't need to be thinking about what he can do - I know what I can do.
"Come fight night, I don't think he'll have firepower like me.
"He's obviously coped with Shawn Porter but I'm going in there to make a statement.
"It's a fight where I get to apply the pressure, enjoy it, and take the fight to him.
"Is he a massive step-up? Of course he is. But he hasn't got anything that I need to worry about. He has nothing that I worry about at all.
"He may be awkward, he may be tricky, he may have ring-craft.
"But that's what happened when people thought Jussi Koivula would do me. Too experienced? He got banged out."
Benn has been sparring with Kell Brook, who took Porter's IBF belt and unbeaten record in 2014.
Benn had been in talks to fight Chris Jenkins, the British and Commonwealth welterweight champion from Wales.
Benn explained the breakdown in negotiations: "It was nothing to do with me and my team. Jenkins accepted the fight numerous times but for some reason [it didn't happen]. It was at his end.
"My career moves forwards. Would I like the British and Commonwealth titles? Of course I would.
"Jenkins hasn't got anything I'm worried about. Jenkins is an easier fight [than Formella]."
"I've had this from the get-go," Benn said.
"Joe Laws was calling me out religiously and people said I was ducking him!"
Laws' unbeaten record was ended abruptly by Rylan Charlton last weekend but he had previously said: "A fight between me and Conor would be a war, it would be a cracking fight.
"I'd take the centre of the ring and punch holes in him!"
Undefeated contender Chris Kongo also told Sky Sports: "Conor seems distracted doing silly YouTube videos.
"It's bizarre - you've got these YouTubers like KSI and Logan Paul trying to be boxers, then you've got Conor, a real boxer trying to become a YouTuber."
Benn said in response: "Whenever I've come face to face with Kongo, there has been mutual respect. Someone has obviously got in his ear."
Florian Marku's manager Sam Jones told Sky Sports: "Every time [Benn's promoter] Eddie Hearn posts on social media, the comments are full of Albanians saying: 'Florian Marku!'"
Benn said: "The list goes on. I don't have a response to everybody. I have better things to do than entertain your clout-chasing!"
Sky Sports schedule
Usyk vs Chisora - Oct 31, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Oleksandr Usyk vs Derek Chisora
Savannah Marshall vs Hannah Rankin
Lee Selby vs George Kambosos Jr
Dave Allen
Tommy McCarthy vs Bilal Laggoune
Amy Timlin vs Carly Skelly
Taylor vs Gutierrez - Nov 14, live on Sky Sports
Katie Taylor vs Miriam Gutierrez
Terri Harper vs Katharina Thanderz
Rachel Ball vs Ebanie Bridges
Jamie Cox vs Jack Cullen
John Docherty vs Jack Arnfield
Thomas Whittaker-Hart
Povetkin vs Whyte 2 - Nov 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Alexander Povetkin vs Dillian Whyte
Conor Benn vs Sebastian Formella
Chris Billam-Smith vs Deion Jumah
Joshua vs Pulev - Dec 12, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Anthony Joshua vs Kubrat Pulev
