By Adam Baskin: Conor Benn says middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. can’t afford to lose to him on October 8 in their 157-pound catchweight bout at London’s O2 Arena.
Benn claims it would be a huge career blow for the 32-year-old Eubank Jr. (32-2, 23 KOs) to be beaten by him because where would he go from here?
It took Eubank Jr four years to recover from his last loss against George Groves in 2018, and he has yet to fight for a world title since that fight.
Eubank Jr. probably would have gotten a title shot in his last six fights if he had fought better opposition, but he has been content to focus on lesser guys while seemingly deflecting killers like Janibek Alimkhanuly.
“It is completely fair. 18 months from now, I don’t know where he’ll be,” Conor Benn told iFL TV when asked if his fight with Chris Eubank Jr had been pushed back 18 months.
“I feel like it doesn’t suit you. She would have gotten over him by then. I’m sitting in a comfortable position, waiting for a world title shot. Early next year, he should fight for a world title in the welterweight division.
“If he loses, where does he go? It’s not exactly the same situation for me. I don’t think about losing, but if I lost, I would definitely be worse off. How can you lose against a welterweight? He takes that risk.
“It all comes down to money on your part. When you think of him calling Youtubers. He is at a stage in his career where fighting can make him more money. This was that fight. In his head, he thinks I’m an easy job.
You’ve seen how I prepare. Whether it’s a journeyman, whether it’s Eubank, or whether it’s for a world title, I prepare the same. There is nothing more I can do in each camp to be the best version of myself.
“If he thinks he can beat me at 60%, that’s going to be his problem tonight. Maybe the public doesn’t think he’s training hard,” Benn said of Eubank Jr. eating a 15-piece bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken recently.
“It doesn’t make any difference to me because I keep preparing the same. He can do whatever he wants. If that’s his way of winning me over by playing mind games, let him do that,” Benn said.
