Benn posted a video lambasting MMA fighters for wanting to crossover into boxing, stating, “Any of these MMA guys who want to come to boxing… If they want some of this, they can come and get it.
“Bare-knuckle. £10 million. Sign me up, I’ll fight anyone bare-knuckle.
“Any of the UFC guys… I’ve heard a lot of people talking about Ilia Topuria. Ilia, I’ve got these hands, brother.
“Disrespecting us boxers? They’re gonna pay for it. Anyone who wants this smoke, anyone who wants to come, no problem.”
“It’s a f***ing liberty! Don’t disrespect us boxers!” 😤
Conor Benn issues a warning to anyone who wants to come over from the UFC and box 👀 pic.twitter.com/S2GpUpkJJV
— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) August 7, 2025
Those comments drew a response from Taylor, a former MMA fighter who holds the light heavyweight title for crossover boxing promotion Misfits Boxing.
Speaking to Plejmo, Taylor said that Benn would find himself in big trouble if he traded hands with Topuria.
“Conor Benn is calling out killers like Ilia Topuria. Correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s not even won a British boxing title,” said Taylor.
“I had to laugh when I heard him mention Ilia’s name. That’s a world champ, bro, something only your daddy would know about. That’s a total mismatch.
“Ilia, with the kind power he has, knocks Benn out so badly that his daddy in Australia would feel it.”
Taylor also suggested that Benn knew that his fighting talk would ultimately not result in any threat, with Topuria and his fellow UFC fighters under contract to only fight in the UFC’s Octagon.
“Here’s the thing, Benn knows Topuria is under contract with the UFC,” said Taylor, who made Benn an offer of his own.
“He knows there’s no way Dana allows for it to happen, so here’s my offer, Conor.
“You want to test yourself in bare-knuckle? Well I’m the king of the crossover. I’ve been in the cage, I’ve been in the ring, and now I’m ready to take over bare knuckle.
“I’ll do what Chris Eubank couldn’t and knock you spark out.”
While Benn was boldly confident in his abilities against Topuria in a boxing or bare-knuckle boxing match, he did show respect for the world’s top MMA fighters when he admitted that things wouldn’t go well for him if he ever stepped into the Octagon.
“Listen, I’m not stupid enough to get in the cage. You’ll never see me get in the cage. Why? Because I’d get my ass kicked in there!
“But for them (MMA fighters) to think they can come here and do that to us, that’s a damn disrespect.”
