BN Fight Facts: Benn has a tougher time than expected against Dobson but prevails on the cards

THE RESULT: To watch the first couple of rounds of Conor Benn vs. Pete Dobson, you’ll be forgiven for considering Benn would cease his American opponent in the first half of what gave the impression to be a woeful mismatch. However, to Dobson’s immense credit score, the unknown from The Bronx made a actual struggle of it in the finish and, regardless of missing velocity, and regardless of being inactive for nearly two years, nonetheless managed to provide Benn a few issues en path to an finally lopsided resolution loss (by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110).

KEY MOMENTS: There have been loads of flashy proper fingers and left hooks landed by Benn all through, in addition to some good work together with his left jab to the physique. Yet the most eye-catching of all the photographs landed on this 12-round super-welterweight struggle have been a sequence of rights Dobson pulled off in the fifth. The first proper, which he landed with Benn against the ropes, appeared to buckle Benn’s legs and have him attempt to play down the influence of the shot by showboating (often a tell-tale signal). This was then adopted by two extra proper fingers a little later, the second of which undoubtedly had Benn unsteady and eager to carry.

RECORDS: Benn, 27, stays unbeaten and is now 23-0 (14), whereas Dobson, 33, loses his undefeated report and falls to 16-1 (9).

TALKING POINT: The reality is, regardless of Benn’s newfound infamy and his fan-pleasing model, this is not going to be a struggle or occasion individuals might be speaking about for very lengthy. The struggle itself meant not a lot beforehand, therefore why it landed in a Las Vegas ballroom at lunchtime, and the truth it additionally clashed tonight with Joshua Buatsi vs. Dan Azeez, a far superior struggle on Sky Sports, lowered its attraction much more so.

Still, if actually on the lookout for a speaking level, one suspects it is going to be this: Benn, regardless of going 12 rounds for the first time as a professional, failed once more to cease his opponent and needed to accept a resolution. This can be no trigger for concern if the Londoner had continued to extend his degree of competitors following latest out-of-ring issues, but, if something, his degree of opposition has dropped since then and Benn finds himself in tune-up fights he would expect – and hoping – to win extra decisively.

QUOTABLE: “I was in cruise control,” mentioned Benn. “I’ve had more durable spars, but it was good work. I at all times gun for the first spherical. If I’ve bought a gap, I take it. I don’t miss after I shoot. But he was powerful and nonetheless standing. He was in there to outlive actually. I used to be a bit upset.

“You can always do better. I’ll go back and assess and no doubt I’ll be disappointed with things I’ve done. But overall this is about me getting back to where I was mentally. The dream now is to fight back home. Once all this (his ongoing performance-enhancing drug issue) is cleared up, I’ll feel brand new. It’s still lingering in the back of my head and I just want to get back to destroying people.”

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: With Benn reluctant to call his excellent subsequent opponent, it was left to his promoter Eddie Hearn to do it as a substitute. “I’m baffled by Chris Eubank Jnr,” he mentioned earlier than explaining his frustration at Eubank Jnr enjoying exhausting to get. He then mentioned, “The plan is to fill any stadium or arena in the UK. We know domestic fights like Eubank, Liam Smith and Kell Brook sell out anywhere. We’re looking at April or May and I want to deliver him the biggest fight I can.”