Eighteen fights, 18 wins.

Conor Benn's career is picking up speed very, very nicely. On that evidence, he is going to be fighting for a world title very, very soon.

Mike Costello
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

The referee steps in. That is a quite sensational performance. A display of clinical pressure. He bided his time, waited for openings, exploited them and showed explosive power. Vargas has been battered in just over a minute.

It is a brutal, brilliant destruction by Conor Benn. It is just a barrage of punches from every angle and Vargas has absolutely no answer.

It's stopped. It's over in two minutes!

Benn retains his WBA Continental Welterweight Championship and this is some warning message sent out to the rest of the division.

Conor Benn pumps out a couple of jabs in the Vargas face, followed by a right hook.

Left-right, left-right, Benn in charge.

Here we go.

Steve Bunce
Boxing pundit on BBC Radio 5 Live

One thing that's struck me is the emotion of Benn this week. That can be bad.

Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury - it's the fight we all want to see, and promoter Eddie Hearn says a summer date and venue could be announced in the next week.

Hearn told Sky Sports Boxing: "We're very close and tomorrow both guys will be presented with the [venue] options for the summer.

"AJ doesn't talk about fights until things are close and we see the excitement building. We have several options on the table and they will be presented to the fighters tomorrow - we're nearly there.

"We've worked really hard to get this done and we don't want to give in - I can't do anymore than I'm doing. People are excited and people know we're on the verge and both guys are desperate to get moving. For me this is the biggest sporting event of 2021 and one lucky site will get the lucky news next week.

"It's two British world heavyweight champions fighting to be the undisputed heavyweight of the world, it will never get any bigger than this in our generation. We are on the verge, on the top of the hill and hopefully we can scream and shout in the near future.

"This is the time to make the fight. Is November or December an option? No. This fight happens in the summer."

Before we get going with Conor Benn v Samuel Vargas...

We could be having some very, very big news coming soon concerning Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury...

Image source, Matchroom Boxing

Conor Benn came close to a humbling defeat 11 fights into his career when he was floored twice on his way to a points win over Frenchman Cedrick Peynaud.

He admits he looked past the fight, viewing it as a "nice little payday" before going on holiday to Miami the next day.

This weekend's opponent, Vargas, 31, has six defeats in 39 outings but has faced stellar names and insists experience will help him break Benn down and "take his soul".

"He's lost when he's had to step up. Have I? No, I've risen to the occasion, every time," Benn added. "To be on where I plan on being, world champion, I should win this fight, without question, no problem.

"This is another step up and why there's a thrill to my career for the public to see me go from a raw novice to a genuine contender."

British welterweight Conor Benn is drawing motivation from those adamant he will never achieve real success as he follows in the footsteps of his fighting father.

The 24-year-old, the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn, is now five years into a professional career in which he is yet to lose and where the chance of his own world-title shot will edge a little closer if he overcomes Colombia's Samuel Vargas in London.

"I've learned how hard this sport actually is," Benn told BBC Radio 5 Live, which will broadcast his fight live.

"It's not for the faint hearted. It's hard mentally, spiritually and emotionally. How does anyone know how it feels to walk out to an arena to meet a man who wants to take your head off? This ain't for the sane.

"This is brutal. Once you come to terms with what it's like it makes the sport easier, but then it does change you as a man."

Mike Costello
Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

Vargas is fighting behind closed doors for the second time.

Conor Benn has had the feeling he has to do something impressive this week, he's told me that this week.

Steve Bunce
Boxing pundit on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's a dangerous way to enter a fight to think you have to go out there and do X, Y, or Z. Conor Benn needs to just think about winning because Vargas is not finished.

Image source, Getty Images

You may well remember that Samuel Vargas took on Amir Khan in Birmingham back in September 2018.

Khan won a big points decision, by 119-108, 119-109, 118-110, but the Bolton man didn't have it all his own way as he got knocked down in the second round.

The nature of boxing will see calls for Khan v Benn, if the Essex fighter comes through this one tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

Benn recently became a father to son Eli, who he is hoping avoids a journey into boxing.

Earlier this week, British middleweight Chris Eubank Jr stated the "pros definitely don't outweigh the cons" when discussing what it has been like to follow his own fighting father - Chris Eubank - into the ring.

Benn has said expectations and subsequent criticisms can "drain your love for the sport" but 17 fights and 17 wins into his journey, he is adamant a comfortable upbringing has had no impact on his desire.

"I think you're born with that, the desire, the ambition, the will," he adds. "I don't have to fight. But when you're young, ambitious and motivated nothing will stop you from chasing your dreams.

"Born with a silver spoon in my mouth? I'll turn it gold. The hunger doesn't come from materialistic desires, I was born into that. It's more the will to win, to be great, and the greatness comes from within.

"My dad inspired me to be a better man. Now with me being a dad, if I'm half the man my dad was I'll be a happy man."

It can't be easy following in the footsteps of a legend of the sport.

Image source, Getty Images

But Conor Benn, son of two-weight former world champion Nigel Benn, is doing a great job of carving out a name for himself as the 24-year-old is undefeated in his 17 professional fights and getting closer and closer to a world title fight.

He takes on tough, experienced Colombian Samuel Vargas, a man who has won more than 30 times in his career.

More from Savannah Marshall: "I get more nervous with the press conferences than the fight and I'm over the moon with the progress I'm making with Peter [Fury, trainer].

On a potential fight with American three-weight world champion Claressa Shields, she says: "I punch too hard for Claressa Shields. She does not want to know, she would rather roll about in the octagon or call out Katie Taylor, who is four weight classes below her.

Press play at the top to listen along to Conor Benn v Samuel Vargas, which is next up.

Savannah Marshall tells Sky Sports Boxing: "Utmost respect for Maria, I'm really grateful she stepped in as on Sunday I didn't know if I was fighting. It's hard when you have trained for weeks for a certain style.

"She had never been stopped and I didn't think it would go like that but I'm very happy with how I performed."

It lasted five minutes, 11 seconds. Savannah Marshall didn't look in trouble for a single second. A superb performance for win number 10 of 10.