CONFIRMED!! Chriss Eubank Jr. VS Conor Benn Is Set On October 8, 29 Years After Their Fathers’ Bout
FightersTalkTV.com – After being held up by the disagreement on the rehydration clause, the fight between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn is finally confirmed. The pair are set to fight at the O2 Arena in London on October 8 as scheduled in a 156lb catchweight contest.
The sensational showdown between the sons of two of British boxing’s most iconic figures is about more than just bragging rights – it’s about family honour. Fathers Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn fought twice in 1990 and 1993 in one of the fiercest rivalries in the history of the sport. Eubank Sr stopped Benn in the ninth round of their first encounter before a controversial split draw three years later left fans calling for a third fight – but it never came.
Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn first fought in Birmingham in 1990.
Now their sons will complete the trilogy and settle the score two months later and right one day ahead of 29 years after their fathers’ last bout. 160lb middleweight Eubank Jr. will fight 147lb welterweight Benn in their 156lb agreed catchweight fight that both fighters have had to compromise.
“I grew up watching their legendary battles and always wanting to emulate that, and find my own arch nemesis… could this now be Conor Benn? We will find out,” said Eubank Jr.
Chris Eubank Sr’s son Chris Eubank Jr usually competes at middleweight (160lbs).
“He has walked the same path as I have. I know his struggle. Living in the shadow of a legend and trying to break out of that shadow and make his own name. If he can beat me, his name will be made, and he will never walk in his father’s shadow again.
“It’s a fight that’s going to spark the imagination of the British public, that’s what I’m happy about. In terms of anticipation, legacy and hype it’s the biggest fight of my career.”
Nigel Benn’s son Conor Benn usually competes at welterweight (147lbs).
Benn said: “This fight is for the legacy and was an opportunity I felt I couldn’t pass up. My team and I had other options on the table as I’m currently ranked top five with all governing bodies at welterweight and no doubt I’m looking for a world championship fight very soon, but this fight is embedded with so much history and I know it’s one the public really want to see. To me this fight is personal – it’s more than titles and rankings, this is unfinished business between our families!
“All I know is that from my side, this will be an all-out war, last man standing kind of fight. Neither will give up until the last bell rings. I won’t be looking to take this to the score cards though, this will be explosive from the off. I’m so up for this.”
The duel between Benn and Eubank Jr had been mooted earlier this year but it was thought to be a future fight when the former had moved up in weight. They were locked into a dispute over how much weight they can put on between the weigh-in on Friday and the day of the fight. The pair haven’t agreed on the second-day weigh-in limit. The clause would be in place to stop Eubank Jr having a big size advantage after rehydrating. Benn’s team will want as low a weight as possible, while Eubank Jr’s camp would probably request no rehydration clause at all.
For Eubank Jr, a fighter that competed at super middleweight from 2017 to 2019, it makes sense for the rehydration limit to be as close as possible to 170 lbs to prevent him from being weakened. It’s already hard enough on the 32-year-old Eubank Jr that he must melt down to 156 lbs to accommodate Benn with a catchweight handicap.
Eubank (32-2, 23 KOs) has never fought that low before during his 11-year professional career, so it will not be easy for him. His career has stalled since his loss to George Groves in 2018.
For his part, the welterweight Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) hasn’t fought above 147 during his short six-year pro career. Also, Benn has never competed against a top 15 contender and has been matched against older, weaker fighters without much pop in their punches.
If the Eubank Jr-Benn fight can’t get made, Matchroom Boxing may look to bag former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman as the opponent for Benn. Beating old ‘One Time’ Thurman would be a massive scalp for Benn to add to his collection and would put him in the pole position to capture one of the four 147-lb titles once they’re vacated by the winner of the undisputed welterweight match between champions Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.
Eubank Jr’s options for his next fight would be less interesting than Benn’s, as his promoters will likely match him against former WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith.
Let’s hope they meet their catchweight in the fight day to satisfying the fans who is the best generation in British.
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