Billy Joe Saunders has been up close and personal in the ring with Chris Eubank Jr. and has now assessed his chances in his fight with Conor Benn.
After more than two years of talk since their first scheduled fight was canned due to Benn testing positive for a banned substance, these two generational rivals are finally set to fight as the National Anti-Doping Panel confirmed late last year that any suspension was to be lifted.
Though no venue or exact date has been revealed, the plan is for the pair to come together in London in late April at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds, with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium understood to be the target venue.
Benn, the naturally smaller man, has fought just twice against low-key opponents since 2022 as he battled with the British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping to clear his name and be freed to fight in the UK. Eubank meanwhile has twice fought Liam Smith – losing the first by knockout but winning the rematch with his own stoppage – before beating Kamil inside the distance last October.
Speaking to talkSPORT Boxing, former world champion Saunders – who beat Eubank on points back in 2015 – was asked for his view on the fight.
“First of all you’ve got to take your hat off to Turki [Alalshikh] and his team, Eddie Hearn and everyone around them. It’s a great fight for the British fight fans with the history around them and the dads. The dads were true greats who proved themselves at every level possible, so are fans going to be as entertained? I don’t know.”
He then weighed up the contest before making a final prediction.
“It’s an interesting fight. You’ve got to look at both aspects of it. Eubank is getting old, he’s on old legs, and he’s a naturally bigger man than Benn, so all the pressure is on Eubank rather than Benn. Benn’s come off a bit of inactivity, it’s a new weight class, but the good thing for Benn is he’s not fighting a world operator at that level so it’s a winnable fight … I think Benn’s looking strong, he’s always in the gym, he’s training hard, I fancy Benn.”
Eubank is the favourite with many given his size advantages, but some including Amir Khan join Saunders in backing the younger man, Benn.
