Golovkin vs Brook: Conor Benn admits having to overcome self-doubt
Wednesday 7 September 2016 12:50, UK
Conor Benn readily admits he shedded tears after being taken to points for the first time and then set about doing his skills more justice.
Much has been made of the 19-year-old's arrival in professional boxing and his high-profile debut was draped in glory - a dance in the ring with his legendary father Nigel 'The Dark Destroyer' Benn following a brutal first-round stoppage victory.
The hype heightened, Benn was less efficient during a unanimous decision win over Luke Keleher in his second bout but having done some soul-searching in the changing room afterwards, returned from that with a far more composed destruction of Lukas Radic.
Reflecting on his improvement, Benn told Sky Sports: "With the Keleher fight, I went back to the changing room and I cried with disappointment and you know no-one knows that and now you know. I was like 'what am I doing? What am I doing?' I couldn't believe it.
"My problem is I want to give the supporters something they want to see and in my last fight against Radic, I'm jabbing the geezer and thinking: 'Who wants to see me jab? This is boring. I need to pick it up. Come on Conor.' Then when I watched it back I thought: 'Go on Conor.' What goes on in my head while I'm in there is about pleasing the fans."
With Croatia's Silvije Kebet (2-10-KO1) in his sights on Saturday, Benn is keen to fight several more times this year and has championed the regime of trainer Tony Sims.
Benn added: "I'm going to take my time with this one, pick my shots and when I feel like it's time to let loose on him, I will.
"It's about learning my trade and staying active because if I'm not active then I like my pizza and ice cream so if I stay fit then it's easier for me. I just love fighting. I love that feeling and that's what it's all about.
"I sparred Ohara Davies maybe a week ago and we were supposed to do eight rounds but I got beaten up so bad that Tony Sims took it down to five. It's learning and I'll come back another week and give him a hiding. It's the way it works.
"We don't hold back. We go for it. We're all savages. We're all lions. When I get beaten up I think 'Thank God. Now I can learn. What did I do wrong?'"
Watch Benn v Kebet on Gennady Golovkin v Kell Brook, live on Sky Sports Box Office from The O2, on September 10. Book the event via your Sky remote or online here.
