Conor Benn has confirmed he received an offer to square off against Manny Pacquiao this December, but opted against the date to focus on family time and physical recovery. While Benn remains open to meeting the boxing legend in early 2027, major questions remain about which weight class could accommodate both men.

Benn pointed to the brutal toll of his recent cut to 147 pounds, alongside the arrival of his newborn son, as key reasons for passing on the end-of-year window.

“The fight got presented to me for December, and it was just too soon making weight. Got a newborn son,” Benn said to Sky Sports Boxing. “So for me it was really about spending time with my family and just enjoying this period, the festive period, with my family. But if Q1 he wants to get on again, I’m interested.”

While Pacquiao represents a lucrative, marquee target for a return bout, Benn’s physical transformation presents a major hurdle. Having bulked back up to around 185 pounds, Benn insists his days at welterweight are completely finished. He even dismissed campaigning at junior middleweight.

“My future’s at middleweight,” Benn stated. “I thought about light middle. There’s nothing in me at light middle even. That’s how bad the weight cut was.”

Without a designated catchweight, matching an eight-division champion who spent his career far lighter against a fighter settling into middleweight remains an unresolved riddle.

Reflecting on his recent loss to Ryan, Benn admitted that outside noise fueled his miscalculated attempt to hit the welterweight limit.

“I don’t know what I was thinking making 147,” Benn said. “There’s one thing making the weight, and then there’s one thing performing at your best at the weight, and it showed. I paid the price for, say, chasing greatness.”

Still, Benn gave Ryan full credit for landing the decisive blows and finding victory on the night. Though he wanted the chance to battle on after rising from the canvas, Benn refused to fault the referee for waving off the bout, taking full accountability for the outcome.

Facing Pacquiao offers Benn an appealing path forward in 2027, but bridging the massive weight gap will require serious negotiations before anyone can sign a contract.

Pacquiao is a novelty payday trap. Even if Benn wins, nobody gives him real credit for beating a faded icon. If he looks bad winning, he gets ridiculed. If he loses, he is finished at the elite level.