Garcia and Benn traded words during a largely cordial appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday on ESPN. Things picked up at the end of their segment, when Garcia promised Benn would “get his ass whooped,” but it was a far cry from their fiery press conference on July 18 at Fanatics Fest in New York, where security had to separate them less than five minutes after it began.

“It’s just gonna be like another day in the office,” Garcia said. “I’m just gonna beat the s*** out of this dude. I know we’re talking all light, but this dude is about to get his ass whooped. I know he’s talking a good game, the UK thing, but he’s just not good enough. He’s getting black eyes in sparring – this is sad. This guy, he’s dying out there. He’s a dead man walking. Look at him. This dude looks like he’s about to pass out right now in the sun. This ass-whooping is gonna be bad.”

“He’s like a kid,” Benn said in response to Garcia. “He said the same with [Rolando “Rolly” Romero.] He said the same with [Gervonta Davis.] He talks enough for the both of us.”

Garcia (25-2, 20 KOs, 1 NC), The Ring’s No. 6-ranked welterweight, got the final word, calling Benn “borderline a bum.”

Their 12-round fight for Garcia’s WBC welterweight title will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will stream on Paramount+ in the United States and on DAZN across the UK and Ireland.

“You are like a very fancy trash can, bro,” Garcia said. “I’m gonna take out the trash on September 12. I’m gonna send your ass back to the UK with a good check, and hopefully your brain will still be intact. That’s all I care about.”

Garcia, 28, will make the first defense of his WBC welterweight title. The Victorville, California, native won the belt thanks to a dominant unanimous decision against Mario Barrios on February 21 at T-Mobile Arena.

He dropped Barrios (29-3-2, 18 KOs) inside the first 30 seconds of the first round before putting together the most complete performance of his career.

“I’m very sharp right now,” Garcia said. “Everything has been going perfect. We’re just carrying the momentum from last fight to this fight, and we have a responsibility as a champion to make sure that we come in the best shape and give the fans the best version of me possible. That’s exactly what we did, and we’re already ready to go. I wish the fight was literally tomorrow. I’m ready to just get this done.”

Benn, 29, will have to make 147 pounds for the first time since his second-round stoppage of Chris Van Heerden in April 2022. The Englishman weighed 149.6 pounds for his last fight, a unanimous decision over two-time 140-pound titleholder Regis Prograis in a 10-round, 150-pound catch-weight bout on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

One fight prior, Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) scored the biggest win of his career when he beat Chris Eubank Jr. by unanimous decision in a 12-round middleweight rematch November 15 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Benn suffered the lone defeat of his career in the first bout against Eubank (35-4, 25 KOs), a unanimous-decision defeat in April 2025. Their first meeting won The Ring’s “Fight of the Year” award for 2025.

Despite the rivalry between Benn and Eubank, which dates back to their fathers’ two fights over 30 years ago, he said he is “more up for this fight than I have been for any other” against Garcia. He also echoed Garcia’s sentiment by wishing their fight was sooner and seeking a stoppage victory to achieve what he believes is “written in the stars.”

“When I see an opportunity, I’m going to take it,” Benn said of winning by stoppage. “If you look at all my fights, I can do 12 rounds of pace, no problem. My work ethic and discipline, it’s unmatched. I do 12 rounds, I do 10 rounds. I have ‘Fight of the Year’ up at middleweight, drop back down even now to this fight [and I am] doing 12 rounds easy.

“I’m a 15-round fighter. If it does go to points, which in my heart, I don't believe it does. Me to my core, I don't believe it does. That's what I believe. I prepared hard for a hard fight, but I’m looking for the stoppage. As soon as I see an opportunity in there, I’m gonna shoot my shot. And when I shoot, I don’t miss.”