Conor Benn strengthened his case for a world title by stopping Chris van Heerden in two rounds at Manchester’s AO Arena.
Benn was expected to have the experience South African after producing impressive performances over the past 18 months.
The 25-year-old welterweight duly delivered as he knocked out Van Heerden in four minutes to extend his unblemished record to 21-0.
“It’s easy money. It’s violent money but it’s easy money,’ Benn, the son of former world middleweight and super-middleweight champion Nigel, told BBC Radio 5 Live after his early win. .
“That’s what I do. I love it. They can put me in there with King Kong, I’m not really fazed.
“I will back it up every time. I knew I was going to knock him out, it was only a matter of time.
Benn was joined in the ring after the fight by the former world champion Amir Khan to fuel discussions about a possible fight between the two men.
“I saw reports that he wanted to fight me,” Benn said. “So I thought it was a chance (for him) to express that, but he didn’t seem too enthusiastic.
“It’s the promoter’s job, but if they offered me a world title fight next, we’d take it.”
Van Heerden, 34, had not fought since December 2020 but his southpaw position presented a different challenge to one of British boxing’s hottest prospects.
Both men were busy in the opening round and Benn’s aggressiveness got Van Heerden in trouble early on, with strong right and left hands to his opponent’s temple.
But the South African settled in and started to find his rhythm as the opening three minutes drew to a close.
It was a false sense of security, however, as Benn sent some vicious close-range top cuts through Van Heerden’s defense.
Van Heerden crashed to the canvas and the referee called off the contest after just 59 seconds of the second stanza.
promoter Eddie Hearn said: “It took Conor Benn quite a ride to get used to Chris van Heerden’s southpaw position and he destroyed it.
“He is the most exciting fighter in the country and now is the time for a big name this summer.
“We would like Kell Brook to set Britain’s top welterweight – and I think that’s Conor.
“But there are a lot of elite welterweights out there and that’s the step that needs to be taken.
“It’s time to take the L plates off and let Conor step up to the elite world level.
“When he started he was a gimmick. He was Nigel Benn’s son. Now Nigel Benn is Conor Benn’s father.
“He’s the real deal and there’s a lot of big fights to look forward to.”
