Former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan has had his say on the upcoming grudge match between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn.
The British rivals are set to lock horns on April 26 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, reigniting a feud between the Eubank and Benn families which dates back over 30-years.
The father’s of both fighters, Chris Sr and Nigel Benn, shared the ring on two occasions during the 1990’s in one of, if not the most intense domestic rivalry in British boxing history. Eubank Sr was victorious in the first fight in 1990, capturing Benn’s WBO middleweight title in the process. Their highly anticipated rematch took place 3-years later, ending in a split decision draw after a thrilling 12-rounds.
After much speculation about whether the fight between Eubank Jr and Benn would be rescheduled after the latter failed a drugs test ahead of their postponed bout back in 2022, an agreement was reached between all parties with Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh standing out as an instrumental figure throughout negotiations.
In an interview with Seconds Out, McGuigan admitted he believes Benn will get the job done on April 26, as he claims Eubank Jr is ‘on the slide’.
“I favour Benn at this stage, I think Eubank is a great fighter but I think he’s just gone over the top, he’s beginning to slide. His punch resistance will be questionable at 160 pounds, but yeah, you know, he’s tough he’s like his Dad, he’s a very skillful kid. I don’t think he’s as tough as his Dad is, his chin is not as tough as his Dad but yeah it’s a great fight.”
The domestic rivals came face-to-face in a press conference earlier this week which erupted into utter chaos after Eubank Jr controversially struck Benn in the face with an egg during the face-off, taking an aim at the 28-year-old’s failed substance test back in 2022.
