“Rolly in May or Garcia in June or July,” Conor Benn‘s response left ShowBizz The Adult bewildered. It now appears the English welterweight had a few more surprises in store. Extending his plans a notch further, Nigel Benn’s son, who’s in New York for the Ring 2025 awards – where he received the joint honor of Fight of the Year with Chris Eubank Jr. – and the Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson headlined Ring VI event, decided to test his potential opponent, Rolando “Rolly” Romero.

In doing so, he risked the latest notice from Madison Square Garden (MSG), which has warned it will issue a lifetime ban for any instigation of violence. The fans, however, were hardly concerned by the matter. With talks of a potential matchup between the two already swirling, the clips of the exchange between the WBA welterweight champion and the WBC number one-ranked contender gained traction and immediately sparked a heated online debate among fans.

Conor Benn and Rolando Romero flirt with MSG ban

Keeping fans talking, the Ring, which is organizing today’s event, shared a clip of the Benn-Rolly squabble through its official X account. “‼️ Rolly Romero and Conor Benn clash at ringside 💥 Who wins this fight for the WBA welterweight world title❓” it read.

With promoter Eddie Hearn standing behind Rolly, things – though both appeared to be smiling – probably took a serious turn as the two pushed each other with their heads. Between the two, Benn appeared more tense as Turki Alalshikh and Hearn tried to intervene – all smiles.

Thankfully, things settled as quickly as they flared. Otherwise, they would have had to contend with MSG’s first action. Likely following the fight between Devin Haney’s team and contender Tiger Johnson, MSG released a statement saying, “If any individual is found to participate in violent activity, whether you are part of the event or a patron, you will be banned for life and unable to attend or participate in any event across all our venues.”

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Despite MSG’s warning and the heightened tension ringside, Benn and Rolando Romero had earlier met at the Ring Awards on a friendlier note.

Here’s how some fans reacted to the Benn-Rolly footage.

Fans already picking sides for Benn vs. Rolly

Aligning with Benn’s statement, one fan remarked, “It will be Benn vs. Rolly in April or May… then Benn vs. Garcia/Barrios in September. You can see it already. Then it’ll be Benn vs. Haney next year.” The prospects are exciting. A lot, however, depends on how the welterweight landscape unfolds in the coming months as sanctioning bodies enforce mandatory challenge clauses.

Optimism got the better of this fan, who said, “Fireworks waiting to happen. Rolando Romero brings chaos and power, Conor Benn brings speed and pressure. Styles like this don’t go the distance often. 💥🥊” That couldn’t have been more accurate. Considering both Benn’s and Romero’s knack for knockouts, it’s a fight that’s unlikely to go the distance.

A fan spotted a peculiar matchmaking connection. Given how both Benn and Romero have had their share of past controversies, they said, “They’re both scandalous for this lol.”

But strong opinions had already formed. One user said, “If this turns into a firefight, Romero’s power matters. If it stays fast and disciplined, Benn’s engine takes over. Either way, drama guaranteed.” Given their recent performances – Romero knocking down Garcia before claiming a unanimous win, and Benn delivering a similar performance against Eubank Jr. after losing their first meeting – many felt the Benn-Romero fight would be the most dramatic.

Echoing similar thoughts, another said, “Ringside tension says it all; this is explosiveness vs. tempo. One clean shot could decide the WBA Welterweight World Title.” That’s highly possible. A fight between power hitters will not end on a technicality.

After scoring a win over Chris Eubank Jr., Benn decided to return to welterweight, where he soon found himself elevated as a top-ranked contender.

He now eyes a potential fight with either Romero or Ryan Garcia. For now, fans may have to wait and see how Rolly responds to the WBA’s order to face mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov. By month-end, the results of Garcia vs. Barrios will also be out, providing more clarity and helping Benn form a more concrete plan.