One of the biggest boxing fights of the year is almost here! Ryan Garcia is set to defend the WBC Welterweight Championship on Saturday against Conor Benn. The co-main event features a Zuffa and Ring Magazine Cruiserweight title fight between Jai Opetaia vs. Noel Mikaelian. This event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the Main Card beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Check out my best bets and full breakdown below ahead of this week’s massive boxing event.
Best Bets for Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn
- Garcia vs. Benn: Over 9.5 Rounds (-125): Although Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn have combined to produce 34 knockouts, they have each fought to a decision in their previous three contests.
- Jai Opetaia by KO/TKO/DQ (-180): Jai Opetaia has a tough challenge with Noel Mikaelian, but he should be well prepared with his experience and tremendous knockout power.
Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn Best Bets Breakdown
Garcia vs. Benn: Over 9.5 Rounds (-125)
Garcia enters this fight with a 25-2 record, with 20 wins by knockout. In February, Garcia won the WBC Welterweight title against Mario Barrios. That was Garcia’s first victory since December 2023. Garcia is taking on surging British superstar Conor Benn. Benn also has 25 career victories with only one loss and is coming off a win against Regis Prograis in April. Trash talk aside, Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn are two premier boxers and should deliver a fantastic fight on Saturday.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Garcia is a -330 favorite with Benn being a +250 underdog. In this matchup, Garcia has the height (5’9.5″ vs. 5’8″) and reach (70″ vs. 68″) advantage over Benn. Even though Benn is slightly smaller, he has done well against bigger fighters like Chris Eubank Jr.
Garcia’s previous three fights and Benn’s last five bouts have gone to a decision. That said, my favorite play is the over 9.5 rounds (- 125) in this contest. This is a much closer fight than the odds suggest, and until Garcia displays knockout power again, it will be hard to foresee him dominating someone of Benn’s caliber.
Jai Opetaia by KO/TKO/DQ (-180)
The first of two title fights on this card is Jai Opetaia, the current Zuffa and Ring Magazine Cruiserweight Champion, defending against Noel Mikaelian. Opetaia, 31, has an undefeated 30-0 record with 23 knockouts. In Opetaia’s debut for Zuffa Boxing in March, he beat Brandon Glanton by unanimous decision. Mikaelian is 28-3 with 12 wins by knockout and is the current WBC Cruiserweight Champion, but that title won’t be on the line in this contest.
Mikaelian beat Badou Jack to win the title in their previous bout in December 2025. In the last seven years, Mikaelian has gone 6-1, with his only loss in that span coming against Jack, who he later defeated. Although both fighters are current champions, Opetaia is still a massive -1400 favorite, while Mikaelian is a +700 underdog. On paper, they are pretty evenly matched, with Mikaelian taller (6’3.5″ vs. 6’2″) and Opetaia with the edge in standing reach (76″ vs. 75″).
Since Opetaia is such a big favorite, I’m taking him to win by KO/TKO/DQ at -180 against Mikaelian. Yes, Opetaia is coming off a decision win, but he hasn’t won back-to-back decision wins since his fourth professional fight in 2016. Opetaia has scored a knockout in his four fights following a decision win. Nine of Opetaia’s previous 12 wins have come by knockout. I expect Opetaia to enter this fight hungrier, after a win on the judges’ scorecards and with extra motivation, as this is such a massive card.
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