Conor Benn has suggested he could fight Manny Pacquiao next if a rematch with Chris Eubank Jr does not materialise.
Benn was beaten in a brutal, 12-round battle last month at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Eubank Jr winning by unanimous decision.
In the immediate aftermath of that contest, Benn insisted he wanted “revenge,” and while the 28-year-old is still eager for another shot, he insists he has ample options that could even include taking on Filipino legend Pacquiao.
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Eubank Jr claimed a dramatic points victory over Benn in a fight which saw both men hurt over a hugely entertaining 12 rounds
Speaking to Sky Sports’ Craig Slater at the Miami GP, Benn said: “The [Eubank Jr] rematch is in demand. It’s very rare that you get fights of that magnitude and people want a rematch.
“I think the loss was controversial, it could have gone either way. The scorecards were very wide. But ultimately I’ll do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen next time around.
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Benn said after the fight he would ‘love a rematch’
“But we all have options. I could fight Rolly Romero, who’s just captured the WBA world title. I could fight Mario Barrios for the WBC world title.”
Asked whether those options could include 46-year-old Pacquiao, who will come out of retirement this summer to face Barrios for the WBC welterweight title, Benn said: “He’s past his sell-by-date but he’s still a legend – one of the greatest of all time – so regardless, either or, there’s options.
“I’m 28 years young. We’re at different spectrums of our career now. He’s nearly done, I’m just getting started.”
Benn had vowed to deliver swift punishment to Eubank Jr before seeing the judges rule against him 116-112.
But he said messages of support he had received about the outcome were of little consolation, admitting he made a “rookie mistake” on the night.
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Boxing faces such as Kell Brook, Ben Whittaker and George Groves react to Eubank Jr’s epic battle with Benn
He said: “It was so close and I’m disappointed in letting the fight be that close, because when I say something, I fully mean it. So when I said I was going to get him out in four rounds I fully believed I would. The fact that the fight was as close as it was, I felt like I had lost anyway.
“There were numerous times when I’d seen his legs wobble; I just couldn’t get the finish. He ducked and he held well.
“But next time there will be a lot less emotion. I fought with a lot of emotion, going in there trying to take his head off, not focusing on the things I know I should be doing in there. Rookie mistake.”
