In a highly anticipated showdown, Chris Eubank Jr. finally met rival Conor Benn in the boxing ring, conclusively proving his superiority on the night.
These prominent British boxers competed at a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. They delivered an intense, competitive battle that went the full 12 rounds to the judges` scorecards. Eubank Jr. emerged victorious via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the contest 116-112 in his favor.
The physically larger Eubank established control early, utilizing his jab effectively to keep the quicker Benn at range. While Benn occasionally found opportunities to land sharp power punches, Eubank seemed ahead on the scorecards through the initial six rounds, setting the stage for an exciting final push.
Both fighters pushed their physical limits, trading punches fiercely in the latter half of the bout. Eubank gradually pulled ahead, pressuring Benn against the ropes and unleashing flurries of punches up close. A cut above Eubank’s right eye did not diminish his aggression, and by rounds 11 and 12, he had clearly taken command, wearing down a visibly fading Benn.
By the conclusion, both competitors were clearly exhausted, having left everything in the ring.
Following the fight, Eubank Jr. commented, “I knew I was capable of that. I just needed someone to bring that out of me. And I’m not going to lie, I didn’t expect that he’d be the guy to do that, but the fact that our fathers did what they did all those years ago, it brings out a different soul, a different spirit into you, and that’s what we both showed here tonight.”
The lead-up to Saturday`s matchup was filled with drama, fueled by both their families` historical rivalry and recent tensions. Eubank’s father, Chris Eubank Sr., and Benn’s father, Nigel Benn, had a famous rivalry themselves, with Eubank Sr. winning a challenging championship bout in 1990 and their 1993 rematch ending in a split draw.
Initially, Eubank Jr. and Conor were scheduled to fight in October 2024, but the bout was postponed after Benn tested positive for the banned substance clomiphene. A new date was set the following January, and animosity between the English stars remained high. A controversial incident involved Eubank slapping Benn with an egg during a faceoff (referencing Benn`s excuse about eating too many eggs for his positive test), resulting in a $129,000 fine for Eubank.
Adding to the pre-fight complications, Eubank failed to make the contracted weight on Friday, incurring a $500,000 fine. He successfully made weight during a subsequent attempt on the morning of the fight, allowing the event to proceed.
Addressing the challenges, Eubank stated, “I pushed through. There’s a lot of things going on in my life that I’m not going to get into right now. I’m happy to have [my father] back with me and we’ve upheld the family name like we said we were going to do and onwards and upwards.”
