Conor Benn has accused a reigning world champion of lying about wanting to face the Brit in a shock claim.
Benn makes his return to the ring on Saturday night when he faces former WBC and WBA world super-lightweight champion Regis Prograis at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.
‘The Destroyer’ makes his first ring appearance since he closed the curtain on his fierce rivalry with domestic foe Chris Eubank Jr back in November, having suffered the maiden defeat of his career in their first encounter last April.
As he prepares to make his debut under the Zuffa Boxing banner, Benn has accused a number of fighters of avoiding facing him, including four-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson.
Speaking to The Ring Magazine, Benn accused Stevenson of using his name ‘for clout’ as he claims he was open to facing the likes of Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, who both hold versions of the world welterweight championship.
“I’m not the reason why these fights do not happen. Rolly [Romero], we could have made that fight. [Ryan] Garcia, we could have made that fight. [Devin] Haney, we could have made that fight.
“Shakur [Stevenson], we could have made that fight. But the fact Shakur’s coming out and and saying ‘No, I’m not fighting anything above 135’. Well, that just shows some people just do things for clout. When I say something, I mean it.”
Stevenson previously expressed an interest in facing Benn after the duo exchanged words on The Ariel Helwani Show shortly after ‘The Destroyer’ defeated Eubank last year.
The unbeaten American star became a world champion in a fourth weight class earlier this year when he defeated countryman Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision to claim the WBO world super-lightweight title.
Stevenson appeared to call Benn out shortly after his victory over Lopez, but a showdown between the duo is yet to come to fruition.
