More

Feud between Benn and Eubank brings vital fire back to boxing scene

Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. meet at the Tottenham Hotspur StadiumChloe Knott / Tottenham Hotspur FC / Shutterstock / Profimedia
Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. have been embroiled in a boxing feud lasting well over two years, with both fighters finally set to meet in the ring on Saturday, April 26th.

The pair had originally meant to fight in October 2022, but the bout was cancelled after Benn failed two voluntary drug tests.

Almost three years later and the two are finally set to go at it in a hotly anticipated middleweight clash.

The build to the fight has at times been nothing short of must-see for both hardcore and casual boxing fans, from Benn finally getting the all-clear to return to the sport following his ban to the fierce insults traded face-to-face and online - to Eubank Jr. throwing an egg at his opponent in a press conference and even insisting he will retire if he loses to his rival.

While several stars have taken centre stage in recent years, there has been a growing feeling that the wider popularity of boxing has slipped away a little - but Benn and Eubank Jr. are doing their best to get eyes on the sport once more.

Granted, the likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk in the heavyweight division will always draw focus from their star power alone, but this is the first time in a while that more mainstream attention is being cast toward the sport outside of the 'bigger' names.

Much of that attention stems from what seems like a genuine hatred between the two fighters.

"I hate what he stands for. I hate who he is as a man, what he's chasing," Benn told Sky Sports.

"Just him as a man personally, for reasons that aren't public, personal reasons, between me and Chris that he's fully aware of as to why I really dislike him."

That being said, Eubank Jr. has suggested things will go his way in Saturday's clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“The procedure will be parliamentary. Everything will go the way I want it to go. I will be like a matador in the ring, and Conor Benn will be the bull," Eubank said.

“I’m a complete fighter. I’ve been doing this for so long now, I’ve forgotten more things than he even knows, and that will show on the night."

It's also important to remember that Benn and Eubank Jr. aren't complete nobodies - their fathers were both iconic fighters and went head-to-head in one of the sport's greatest rivalries back in the 1990s - and they both have excellent professional records.

Naturally, there is a level of interest from the get-go and a narrative that essentially writes itself, before a word is even spoken, as the sons of two British boxing legends face off in the ring.

What Benn and Eubank Jr. have managed to do, however, is generate a hype surrounding the fight that transcends the initial talking points related to their parents.

The furore and genuine hatred portrayed through face-offs and social media make the bout a genuine must-see event for fans of the sport as well as those who may have turned their interest elsewhere over the past few years.

That's something that has been missed a fair bit in boxing in recent times and is a welcome addition, despite causing plenty of controversy along the way.

Eubank Jr.'s own father has publicly called out his son for the way he has behaved in the build-up to the fight.

"Who taught you that? Did Karron (Eubank Jr's mother) teach you that?" Eubank Sr. said after his son threw an egg at his opponent.

"That is disgraceful. I'm going to be in your corner? I would never have been in your corner; that is disgraceful.

"You are smashing an egg in someone's face, and you are trying to justify it. There is no justification for it. There is nothing noble about that."

Those comments have only served to add more fuel to the fire and present another major talking point heading into the fight.

It's also important to remember that while he hasn't fought since February 2024, Benn is actually still undefeated, having won all 23 of his bouts.

"I've not lost. I'm undefeated. He will not be my first loss. That man I refuse to lose to," Benn said.

"I will lose fights, that goes without saying. My style is entertaining but there's a level of vulnerability there that we're still working on. But not to him. Not to him.

"The thought of losing to him, the fear of losing to him is what gets me out of bed at five in the morning."

Eubank Jr., meanwhile, has lost just three fights in his more experienced career with a 34-3 record.

There are endless narratives and things to keep an eye on heading into Saturday's bout, which promises to be one of the biggest in British boxing.

Chances are you’re about to lose.

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au