Is it the lure of the black-and-gold strap or shifting divisional dynamics that pushed Conor Benn to look beyond his mandatory challenge? Reports indicate Benn has expressed interest in a matchup with WBA titleholder Rolando “Rolly” Romero. Benn is coming off a dominant win over Chris Eubank Jr., a first in the long-hyped Eubank-Benn family rivalry. With that chapter closed, he is now eyeing a world title.

Following the Eubank victory, Conor Benn became the mandatory challenger for Mario Barrios’ WBC welterweight belt. However, with Barrios scheduled for a voluntary defense against Ryan Garcia, he has been forced to explore other options, including a potential clash with Rolando Romero, while the WBA champion also has a mandatory challenger in Shakhram Giyasov.

Conor Benn makes his move toward Rolly Romero

A Ring Magazine tweet confirmed Benn’s interest. “Conor Benn has called out WBA welterweight world champion Rolly Romero for a fight in 2026 👀,” the publication wrote, inviting fans to weigh in on whether they would like to see the matchup and where it should take place.

After a year in which his stock hit rock bottom, Romero kicked off 2025 by delivering one of the year’s biggest upsets. He knocked down Ryan Garcia in the second round before securing a unanimous victory. The win earned him the interim WBA welterweight title. It was later elevated to full champion status after Jaron Ennis vacated his belts to move up to 154 pounds.

Meanwhile, Benn had suffered his first career loss to Eubank Jr. just days before Romero and Garcia met in New York. On November 15, he avenged the defeat in a rematch. While a largely dour affair compared to their first encounter, Benn-Eubank Jr. II ended in a unanimous decision victory for Benn.

By shutting the door on a trilogy with Eubank, Benn also ascended to the top spot in the WBC welterweight rankings. He currently sits fourth in the WBA rankings and sixth in the IBF standings.

How Rolly fits into Benn’s title plans

Given that he fought Eubank Jr. at a catchweight, Benn’s return to the welterweight contender pool raised eyebrows. Still, he remains unfazed, having emerged as one of Britain’s biggest boxing draws. It is likely that Benn could still land a shot against the winner of the Barrios-Garcia fight. Though the venue has yet to be finalized, the bout is tentatively scheduled for February 21.

Romero, meanwhile, had been in talks for a potential showdown with Manny Pacquiao, who pushed Barrios to the limit after returning from a four-year retirement. But with Romero ordered to face Shakhram Giyasov, the chances of the fight now appear slim.

If Benn truly wants a crack at Romero, he may need to move quickly. Romero has reportedly sought an exemption to face Pacquiao. The WBA champion already finds himself in the crosshairs of Devin Haney, the WBO titleholder who turned in one of 2025’s most decisive performances by dismantling Brian Norman Jr., and whose camp has since hinted at a potential clash with Romero.

Is Conor Benn vs Rolly Romero a fight you want to see? Or would you rather have the champ fight his mandatory challenger? What about the other lucrative options like Pacquiao? Give us your matchmaking ideas in the comments below.