Conor Benn has revealed he reached out to Shakur Stevenson directly over a potential fight with the world champion, who is closing in on a bout with a fellow American star.

Benn is planning his next move after beating Chris Eubank Jr this month, a result that saw the 29-year-old avenge his first professional loss.

Benn was outpointed by his rival in their first all-British clash in April, before securing a decision victory on 15 November after scoring two knockdowns in the final round.

Both bouts took place at middleweight, but Benn has long made clear his desire to drop back down to welterweight – his preferred division – in hopes of winning a world title.

Yet Benn is generally interested in fights with big-name opponents, including Stevenson, who currently holds the WBC lightweight title but previously reigned at featherweight and super-featherweight.

A bout between Benn and Stevenson, 28, would require the unbeaten American to move up in weight, but that is already on his agenda, as he seeks a 2026 clash with Teofimo Lopez.

Lopez, 28, is the WBO super-lightweight champion and previously held gold at lightweight. But in a rumoured January clash with Stevenson, it would be the latter switching divisions to compete at super-lightweight.

“I messaged Shakur,” Benn told The Ring magazine. “I said: ‘Listen, if you’re really about it, let’s do it next. I don’t just do the social-media thing for bants [banter].’

“I said, ‘We can do that next in April,’ and he said: ‘Cool. Let me get Teo out the way. We’ll do it in April.’ So, you may be seeing me and Shakur next.

“[But] I think he’s in a hard fight. Teo’s a great fighter. I think it’ll be a close, 50/50 fight.”

Benn has also expressed an interest in fighting Ryan Garcia, another big American name, who recently moved up to welterweight.

Furthermore, Benn was ringside in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to watch Devin Haney collect his first welterweight world title, but the Briton dismissed the unbeaten champion’s performance, saying Haney was “scared of his own shadow”.

Haney, 27, dropped and outpointed Brian Norman Jr on Saturday while competing at welterweight for the second time. He made his divisional debut in May, on the same night that Garcia fought at welterweight for the first time.

On that night, Haney beat Jose Ramirez on points but was criticised for his showing, while Garcia, 27, was dropped and outpointed by Rolly Romero.

Also competing at that event in May was Lopez, who put on a clinic against Arnold Barboza Jr to retain his world title.