The next generation of the Eubank-Benn rivalry will continue despite the extraordinary efforts of Chris Eubank Sr. to sabotage the event.
According to a report from The Daily Mail, Eubank Sr. is planning to remove his son, Chris Eubank Jr, from his upcoming fight with Conor Benn. The battle of the second generation contenders is scheduled to take place on October 8 in front of a packed crowd at The O2 in London. Eubank Sr. expressed concern that his son would have to shrink down to the maximum contracted limit of 157 pounds.
“If you have a child and someone is trying to take it away from you and do something bad to it, as a parent, you wouldn’t let them,” Eubank Sr. told the Daily Mail. “That’s all I’m doing. I have given you my address. If he doesn’t want to follow him, he will be dragged away.
“But he will do what is right for him. he is going down [three pounds below 160]which cannot happen on my turn.”
Efforts to contact representatives from Matchroom, DAZN and the Eubank team were not immediately returned at the time of publication. However, BoxingScene.com has learned that plans remain in place for the event to go ahead, with the belief that Eubank Sr. is speaking on his own behalf and not as an official team.
Eubank Jr. (32-2, 23KOs) has never weighed less than 158 ¼ pounds during his professional career, that mark coming in an October 2014 knockout victory at Liverpool.
The feat was followed by the first loss of his career, dropping a twelve-round split decision just a month later to Billy Joe Saunders. That fight took place at middleweight, where he spent most of his career, except for a two-year stint in which he campaigned in the super middleweight division. His only other loss came at 168, dropping a twelve-round decision to George Groves in their February 2018 WBA title fight that came in the semifinal round of the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight tournament. (WBSS).
Six wins followed, the last four at middleweight. In his most recent start, Eubank scored four knockdowns en route to a twelve-round unanimous decision victory over Liam Williams on February 5 in Cardiff, Wales.
Benn (21-0, 14KOs) has spent the entirety of his six-plus-year career at welterweight. The 25-year-old from Ilford, Essex has never weighed more than 148 pounds as a professional.
However, speculation has run rampant in recent months about the possibility of a Eubank-Benn clash. He gained momentum weeks after Benn’s second-round knockout of Chris van Heerden in his most recent fight on April 16 in Manchester, England. More specifically, the delay in plans for Benn to return to the ring being pushed back to September and then October, from July largely due to an inability to lock up a quality opponent, ultimately led to the reveal of the third chapter in the historic Eubank. -Benn’s rivalry.
Benn will move up ten pounds from the 147-pound welterweight limit, while Eubank will drop three pounds from middleweight. The concessions made by both sides ended the first fight between sons of boxers who fought for a world title as professionals.
Eubank Sr. defeated Nigel Benn by ninth-round knockout to win the WBO middleweight title in November 1990 in Birmingham, England. Their October 1993 rematch was at super middleweight, and their unification of the WBC and WBO 168-pound titles ended in a draw. The event was held in front of over 42,000 spectators at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, the fight itself lacked the wild intensity of the first encounter, although it was fought on even terms until the bitter end when Eubank Sr. retained his title. from the WBO and Benn his WBC belt. .
The third fight in the family ticket was an instant hit with the paying public, as tickets reportedly sold out in 47 minutes. The next generational fight will come 29 years almost to the day of the second fight between the parents.
Yet another family anniversary comes closer to home for Eubank Sr. This past July 9th marked one year since the tragic passing of his youngest son, Sebastian Eubank, who was just days away from celebrating his 30th birthday when he died of a massive heart attack in Dubai, the fatal incident stemming from an undetected pre-existing condition.
Naturally, the loss still resonates with Eubank Sr., as does the parental instinct to protect his children at all costs. It is in this sense that he feels the need to take care of the son of his 32-year-old fighter.
“This is a modern ‘gladiator,’ not a game for the audience,” Eubank Sr. said. “We have to be strict otherwise lives are in danger and my son’s life cannot be in danger.” . I’ve already lost one. It can’t happen again.’”
Major Eubank’s statement is his last opposition to the duel. The early stages of the fight being made came with Eubank Jr. ready for the fight despite the weight risk and prepared to move on “with or without my old man in there.” For now, it looks like the latter will apply on fight night.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed that both fighters remain in training camp, fully committed to the fight moving forward as planned and contractually agreed.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
