There may be bad blood, and lots of it, but that still wasn’t the biggest talking point when Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn fight week officially kicked off in London on Tuesday.
We are now just three days out from a huge sporting event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night (April 26), as these two sons of famous boxing fathers rekindle an epic family rivalry. The bout will live stream live globally on DAZN PPV and also on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK.
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Twice, in 1990 and 1993, Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn fought epic wars that produced the greatest boxing beef of a British generation. The toughest of acts to follow.
When those two met in centre ring the only talking point was animosity – the dislike was intense – but their sons have another narrative that cuts right through their pending battle. The weight.
Why is the weight a big deal?
Conor (23-0 with 14 wins inside distance) is a career welterweight, plying his trade at welterweight (147lbs) until his last two fights, while Eubank Jr (34-3 with 25 KOs) fights two divisions north of that at 160lbs. Friday’s weigh-in will have a limit of 160lbs – Eubank Jr territory – but there is a rehydration clause which says neither must be more than 170 when they weigh in again on fight day.
The gap in weight is such that some experts have claimed the fight is dangerous, but it’s by no means the first time a fighter has jumped up a couple of weight classes. But the scales were still the talk of the town when the official fight week arrivals took place on Tuesday.
Eddie Hearn predicts
Matchroom Boxing supremo Eddie Hearn, who promotes Benn, even went as far as predicting what each man will weigh on fight night.
He said: “Conor Benn is the one jumping up fighting the much bigger man. I expect Conor Benn to come in around 157/158lbs. I think he’ll come into the ring around 165lbs and I think Chris Eubank Jr will come into the ring around 175lbs. I think he’ll be giving away around 10lbs in the ring.
“I don’t think it will matter – the way that he has been performing in training camp, the way that he has been sparring, the size of the opposition he’s been sparring against – he’s ready for those guys. Let’s not forget – his last two fights have been at 154lbs, when he’s had those interim fights. There’s no doubt he’s at a disadvantage in terms on the size. I honestly don’t think it’s going to matter.”
The fighter verdicts
Eubank Jr meanwhile thinks all the talk about the weight is moot, and believes it will not be the key deciding factor on Saturday night.
“I keep hearing this two weight classes thing. He’s not coming up two weight classes. His last fight was at 156lbs. He’s putting four pounds on, he hasn’t been a Welterweight for three years. This fight isn’t about size or weight. It’s about skill, it’s about dedication, it’s about expertise, and all those areas I excel in and have got many many more years of experience over Conor Benn – and that will be the deciding factor on the night.”
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So what about Benn, the guy who is actually the one doing that moving up in weight? He too appears unconcerned.
“Yeah listen, I mean it don’t concern me in the slightest. I’ve prepared hard. I’ve done everything I possibly can in the gym. I’ve left no stone unturned. So for me, I look at him and I ain’t really too concerned. I’ll beat him at any weight.
The talk about those key numbers will continue all week, and we’ll get a little more intel when the two men weigh in at 6pm local time on Friday (7pm CET, 1pm Eastern, 10am Pacific on the West Coast). And then, boxing fans, we will have ourselves a fight.
Eubank Jr vs Benn start time
Ring walks for this massive fight are expected to take place shortly after 10pm local time on Saturday night (11pm CET, 5pm Eastern, 2pm Pacific).
How to watch live
The bout will be streamed live by DAZN PPV globally – including the UK (£19.95) and the US ($24.99). Sky Sports Box Office will also have rights to stream in the UK market, at a cost of £19.95.
