Rodolfo Orozco vs Conor Benn Preview September 23rd, 2023
Englishman Conor Benn, who failed a couple of drug tests in his homeland last year, is back in the ring for the first time in 17 months when he takes on Rodolfo Orozco of Mexico this Saturday, September 23rd. The 10-round junior middleweight bout will be held in Orlando, Florida as Benn isn’t licensed to fight in the UK, and can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Benn is moving up from welterweight for this contest and last saw action in April, 2022 when he stopped Chris van Heerden in the second round to retain the WBA Continental Welterweight Title. Orozco last boxed in June when he stopped Elian Trejo Juarez in the fourth round.
**Watch live on DAZN this Saturday. Your first month is free.
Orozco vs Benn Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Rodolfo Orozco +1200
- Conor Benn -1600
My Pick
The 27-year-old Benn is the son of former British great and world champion Nigel Benn. He fought as an amateur in Australia with 20 wins in 22 contests before turning pro in 2016. Since then he’s boxed 84 rounds and has compiled a perfect record of 21-0 with 14 Kos. He also has pretty good power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 66.7 per cent. Benn stands 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 68-inch reach.
Benn has a decent chin but has been on the deck as a pro when Cedrick Peynaud dropped him twice in the first round in 2017. However, Benn picked himself up and returned the favour in the fifth and sixth rounds to earn a six-round decision. The two met again a year later with Benn taking a 10 round unanimous decision to capture the vacant WBA Continental Welterweight Title.
He’s defended it six times as he stopped Jussi Koivula and Steve Jamoye, beat Sebastian Formella by decision and then stopped Samuel Vargas in just 80 seconds last April and took a 10-round unanimous decision over Adrian Granados five months later before stopping Chris Algieri in four and Van Heerden in two. Benn has been brought along rather slowly and hasn’t faced a current legitimate contender as of yet so is taking a sideways or backwards step this weekend as he returns to the ring to work out the kinks.
Orozco is just 24 years old and has compiled a 32-3-3 record with 24 Ko’s and has boxed 167 rounds since making his pro debut in 2015 as a 16-year-old. He’s got good size as he’s 6-feet-1-inch tall but unfortunately has an unlisted reach. However he has a five inch edge in height on Benn. As far as power goes, 24 of his 32 wins have come by stoppage for a 75 per cent knockout ratio.
His three losses came at the hands of Abraham Lopez by four-round majority decision in 2016, by eight-round majority decision to Jose Quintero Velarde in 2018 and by 10-round unanimous decision to Isaias Lucero in May, 2022. His three draws were a four-round affair with Angel Guevera in 2015, a six-rounder with Gregorio Perez Leon in 2016 and an eight-round battle with Jesus Nunez Rodriguez in 2018.
Orozco has never fought outside of Mexico and will be taking a step up in class against Benn. He won the vacant Mexican Pacific Coast Super Lightweight Title in 2018 when he halted Raul Ivan Gutierrez in the seventh round.
Prediction…
The big talking point about this fight is the failed drug tests by Benn and that he’s returning to the ring without the issue being fully resolved in his homeland. Benn is naturally aggressive but Orozco is, big and young and has power and could be underestimated here. This could either be a complete mismatch or Orozco will be a handful. I think if Benn is as explosive and aggressive as he usually is he should pull it off, but he’ll have to take punches to land his own at the same time.
Benn should win as long as he gets past the ring rust.
Play: Benn -1600 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Conor Benn betting • Rodolfo Orozco betting