Conor Benn gives an amazing answer to the ‘silk pyjamas’ question after earning $30 million in a year
Conor Benn had a funny reaction to the famous ‘silk pyjamas’ quote after earning $30 million ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
Boxing legend Marvin Hagler once said, “It’s tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you’ve been sleeping in silk pyjamas.” Many boxers have made huge money and reached greatness but then lost focus because they enjoyed their success a little too much.
A recent example is former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. After his surprising knockout win over Anthony Joshua, he lost the rematch and has struggled to stay on top since.
After some big fights with rival Chris Eubank Jr and a win over Regis Prograis, starting his multi-million dollar career with Zuffa Boxing, some people wonder if Benn might be getting a bit distracted. But before the biggest fight of his life, the 29-year-old has a clear reason for staying focused even with all his recent success.
“I was born in silk sheets with caviar for lunch at school,” Benn joked in an exclusive chat with SPORTbible.
Conor’s dad, Nigel Benn, is a British boxing legend who held two major titles during his career. Because of that, Conor didn’t go through the usual tough journey many fighters do, but that hasn’t stopped him from being driven as he goes for his first world title this weekend.
“Ambition is priceless; you can’t put a price on it,” he added. “For me, being the best version of myself and the best fighter I can be is what matters most. If it was just about money, I would have stopped fighting a long time ago. I’m here to reach my full potential. When I’ve reached my highest point, maybe then I’ll call it quits. But right now, I’ve got a lot to prove to myself and to the fans. Money is nice, and maybe when I have £100 million in the bank, I’ll retire.”
While he hasn’t hit £100 million yet, Benn’s earnings in 2026 show he’s well on his way, thanks to his big deal with Dana White’s Zuffa. His first fight with Zuffa earned him around $15 million (£11 million) after beating Prograis on the Tyson Fury comeback card. Now, just five months later, he’s expected to make another $15 million as he faces rival Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas on Saturday.
But Benn made it clear he didn’t take the Garcia fight for the money—he’s chasing the chance to become a world champion for the first time ever. If he beats Garcia, he’ll join his father as one of the rare boxers to win a WBC title, even if it’s in a different weight class.
That means a lot to Benn. “It’s definitely about legacy for me,” he said. “When I look back at my journey — two big fights with Eubank, huge stadium shows, the challenges I’ve faced and then coming back to win a WBC world title after dropping two weight classes — that’s something special. This fight is my chance to really cement my place in boxing history.”
Benn and Garcia are set to walk to the ring at the T-Mobile Arena around 4:00 am BST.