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Benn tops Dobson in wide decision to remain undefeated

Ian Maule / Getty Images Sport / Getty

British star Conor Benn kept his undefeated record intact Saturday, beating Peter Dobson via unanimous decision (119-109, 118-110, 118-110) in a junior middleweight bout at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Benn went the distance in a 12-round fight for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old credited Dobson for being durable and said he was "a bit disappointed" by his performance.

"I'm always going for the first-round (finish)," Benn said in his postfight interview. "I (gave) my shots. He was still standing. He was tough. He was in there to survive."

Benn, the son of former world champion Nigel Benn, agreed to face Dobson in his Las Vegas debut - and second fight in the U.S. - after talks for a highly anticipated matchup against Chris Eubank Jr. fell apart late last year. Benn's promoter, Eddie Hearn, said Saturday he hopes to book Benn in a major fight in the United Kingdom next. The Eubank fight fits that bill, but Benn didn't seem convinced it would materialize.

"He's a p---y," Benn said of Eubank. "That's it. That's all there is to it."

Benn controlled most of the action against Dobson, evidenced by the lopsided scorecards. He pressured and outstruck his opponent throughout the bout. Dobson pushed the pace in Round 5 but never came close to pulling off the upset.

With the victory, Benn is 23-0 as a pro. The Greenwich, England, native has now won back-to-back fights via decision since returning to the ring following two failed drug tests in 2022. Benn scored knockouts in 14 of his first 20 contests.

Benn is currently banned from fighting in the UK due to the positive tests for clomiphene. His suspension was lifted by England's National Anti-Doping Panel last July, but the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) and UK Anti-Doping appealed the decision. Benn is in the process of trying to fully clear his name.

Dobson, a 33-year-old New Yorker, suffered his first career loss and now sits at 16-1. Dobson hadn't stepped into the ring since June 2022.

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