Chris Eubank Sr Claims He Has Pulled His Son Out Of Fight Against Conor Benn
FightersTalkTV.com – Chris Eubank Sr dramatically demands his son Chris Eubank Jr be pulled out of the fight against Conor Benn due to concerns over 157lb catchweight. He insists that he doesn’t want to lose another son after Eubank Jr’s brother Sebastian, tragically died last year in aged 29.
“His life cannot be put in danger, I’ve already lost one son. I can’t lose another,” said Eubank Sr in a video call involving Nigel and Conor Benn. He also claimed he would not allow his son to fight below the 160lb middleweight limit and pleaded with his rival for help.
Chris Eubank Sr has claimed he is pulling his son out of his grudge match with Conor Benn
Chris Eubank Sr has claimed he is pulling his son out of his grudge match with Conor Benn.
Chris Eubank Jr and Benn are due to meet at London’s O2 Arena on October 8, re-igniting a family feud three decades after their fathers met in the second instalment of British boxing’s greatest rivalry.
The British boxing legend Chris Eubank Sr cornered his son for much of the early part of his career but has taken a back seat in more recent years. The 56-year-old said he could take legal action, ”If they’re not going to listen to me, then they’ll have to listen to my King’s Counsel. That fight does not happen.
“If he doesn’t take the advice then I have to put my foot down. Have you ever heard of Russian Roulette?” Eubank said. “When you spin that barrel, that’s what he’s doing and that I can’t let him.
“I’ve given him my direction. If he doesn’t want to follow it, he will be dragged along. But he will do what is right for him, he is coming down 1oz below 160lbs which cannot happen on my watch.”
Eubank Sr added: “This is modern day ‘gladiating’, this is not a play thing for the audience. We have to be strict otherwise lives are put in danger and my son’s life cannot be put in danger.
“I’ve already lost one. It can’t happen again, if you have a child and someone’s trying to actually take that child away from you, and do something wrong to that child, as a dad you wouldn’t let them. That’s all I’m doing.”
His comments were definitely a surprise to both Benn, Nigel and Conor, who also joined the video call and insisted: “All I know was the weight was agreed”.
Nigel Benn (left) said all he knew was that the weight for the fight was already agreed on
Nigel Benn (left) said all he knew was that the weight for the fight was already agreed on.
Nigel Benn continued asking his old rival, “So you’re putting your foot down, saying to your son, at 32 years old, this fight is not happening?” to which Eubank Sr responded, “Absolutely.”
It was then pointed out that Junior signed a contract. Conor even promised, “No one is going to get hurt. That isn’t the intention for the sport, or my intention.”
Eubank Sr urged Conor Benn to remain at his weight class instead pursue the like Errol Spence and Terence Crawford.
“If your dad won’t protect my son, if they won’t allow me to protect my son, you protect him,” Sr told Benn. “Why would I be in his corner, in a fight where he’s coming in, in a situation where he can lose his life.
“He doesn’t know who you are. I know who you are. That fight doesn’t happen unless he fights at 160 and he’s not fighting you because that’s not the way for him.
“I would advise you Conor, not to fight my son at 160, because he has the ability to destroy the rest of your career.”
“I gave my son his instructions and he chose to follow a different (path), but he can’t override his dad. Because his dad is speaking sense and who will back me up? The public.
Eubank Sr also invoked the memory of previous tragedies involving himself, his son and Nigel Benn to highlight the dangers of this sport.
“When they understand: I lost a son, Michael Watson happened, Gerald McClellan happened, Nick Blackwell happened, and the many warriors who have fallen or are disabled because of contests in the ring,” he said.
“You cannot come down in weight, especially against a fighter of the magnitude of Mr king, Conor Benn. This ain’t no joke.”
Later, Conor Benn wrote on his social media on Monday night, “Just sparred 10 rounds.. While someone’s having DADDY ISSUES.”
The two are scheduled to face off in London on October 8, but the fight is now in doubt
The two are scheduled to face off in London on October 8, but the fight is now in doubt.
Sources on both sides insist the fight will go on as planned – as only the boxer can pull themselves out of a fight – but after the Eubank Sr demands, there will be significant financial penalties in place, should either fighter come in over the 157lb catchweight.
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