Security had to intervene during a heated media day in New York as Conor Benn confronted Ryan Garcia ahead of their upcoming fight. The date for this highly anticipated bout was confirmed last week, shortly after a clash at the weigh-in for UFC 329.

At the media event, tensions escalated when Benn threatened Garcia, saying he would "smack those glasses straight off your face." In response, Garcia shouted an expletive back, prompting Benn to rise from his seat, requiring security to hold him back as he attempted to approach Garcia.

Key highlights from the confrontation include:

• Benn, 29, criticized Garcia as a "big child, a spoiled brat" and dismissed him as an influencer rather than a fighter.
• He emphasized his experience, stating, "12-round war proven. I don't quit, I don't stay down on one knee," referencing Garcia’s loss to Gervonta Davis in 2023.
• Garcia, 27, countered with confidence, asserting that Benn wouldn't last the full 12 rounds and that he wouldn't allow a UK fighter to take his title.

The verbal sparring continued, with Benn claiming, "Wait till I smack you up and make you quit," while Garcia declared he would finish the fight in five rounds. Benn’s father, former world champion Nigel Benn, added fuel to the fire by shouting insults from behind his son, further intensifying the atmosphere.

As the stage was cleared for a face-off, the animosity between the two fighters was palpable, setting the stage for what promises to be an explosive matchup.