Ryan Garcia Calls Terence Crawford a 'Hater' Over Conor Benn Pick

Ryan Garcia doesn't take criticism well, and he's proving it again ahead of his first WBC welterweight title defense. The 27-year-old champion — 25-2 with 20 knockouts — has branded Terence Crawford a "hater" after learning the retired pound-for-pound star is picking underdog Conor Benn to beat him on September 12 at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena.

Speaking to FightHype, Garcia dismissed Crawford's prediction as anything but honest, saying he doesn't care about Benn and that he'd fancy his chances against Crawford himself. He also told 'Bud' to come out of retirement — a pointed jab at a man who called time on his career in December, just months after outpointing Canelo Alvarez to become a three-division undisputed champion.

Why Crawford Might Have a Point

On paper, the math sits with Garcia. He's the busier, more decorated operator, and his February win over Mario Barrios — a clean unanimous-decision shutout — was arguably the best performance of his career. Benn, meanwhile, comes in at 25-1 (14 KO), unranked, and hasn't fought at 147lbs since 2022. That was also the year he tested positive for clomifene, a detail that still shadows him.

But Crawford isn't backing Benn on skill. He's backing durability. Benn has shown a rare kind of stubbornness, most obviously across two brutal fights with Chris Eubank Jr — dropping the first by unanimous decision in 2025 before evening the score in the rematch later that year. Heart travels well between weight classes. Technique doesn't always.

The Ban Still Lingers Over Garcia

Garcia's own record isn't spotless either. His loss to Rolando Romero in May 2025 — a clear points defeat to a low-volume opponent now ranked #5 at welterweight — came straight off the back of a year-long doping ban. The Barrios win reset the narrative, but one strong night doesn't erase the questions entirely.

So we've got two fighters carrying PED baggage, one obvious skill gap, and a champion who'd rather talk about a retired legend than the man actually standing across from him on September 12. Garcia is the betting favorite for good reason. Whether Benn's granite chin can drag this into deep water is the only question that matters — and it's the exact one Crawford is betting on.