Conor Benn made weight, then put on 32lbs in 12 hours

Why Conor Benn's weight was the story all week

The 29 year-old weighed in at 10st 6lb (66kg) at the closed-doors official weigh-in at the UFC Apex on Friday, half a pound lighter than the champion.

By the time he posted afterwards, he was up to 12st 10lb (81.65kg).

Appearing at a ceremonial event in front of fans later that evening, Benn already looked noticeably bigger, his face and shoulders filled back out.

"Did it look hard? How did I look?" he asked the crowd. "We'll see tomorrow night how good I really feel."

Both fights with Chris Eubank Jr were at middleweight, 11st 2lb (71kg), then 11st 5lb (72kg), and he was 10st 10lb (69kg) for April's win over Regis Prograis.

He had looked increasingly gaunt and drawn across fight week, and Benn told BBC Sport about the weight cut, saying it had taken him to the "pits of hell."

He had also said in advance that he expected to be as heavy as 12st 7lb (80kg) by the time he stepped through the ropes, a figure he has now comfortably passed.

He has already confirmed he will vacate the belt and move back up in weight if he beats Garcia.

Garcia, 28, took the WBC title with a dominant points win over Mario Barrios in February and is making his first defence.

The American has won 25 of his 28 professional fights with 20 knockouts, against two defeats and a no-contest.

Benn arrives at his first world title fight with 25 wins, 14 by knockout, and a single loss, and starts as the underdog at the T-Mobile Arena.

It is the sort of build-up that has become familiar in British boxing's other world title stories, though rarely with a number this stark attached, and a world away from the heavyweight division's endless callouts.