Frank Smith admits the lack of mandal assurance of Benn

However, Smith admitted that they could not bank on that path on his own. He specifically noted the unpredictable nature of Ryan Garcia, suggesting that if Garcia won, the situation could become untidy. “We know with Ryan Garcia, sometimes he can get off radar. So we don’t just look at that option,” Smith.

“I think in May or June, we will try to make the Romero fight,” said Smith. “I think by the end of the year, you can see it in a merger battle in the GAMthe welterweight section.”

This change in strategy is the reason why matchroom is already eyeing the WBA belt. Smith mentioned that fighting with Rolando Romero is a very strong possibility. Instead of sitting around for the Books Council to solve itself, the team is looking at Romero as a way of securing a title on their own terms.

The timeline is moving fast. Smith expects the Battle of Romero to take place in May or June. He went even as long as he saw a bead in a merger pool by the end of 2026. It is an ambitious plan, but also highlights how volatile the situation is at the moment.

Benn has the positions and status, but Smith’s comments show that those things go only so far. Matchroom treats flexibility as a requirement. The next stage of Benn will not be determined by formal paperwork, but by which champion is actually ready to step into the ring when the time comes.