George Groves knows what it’s like to box Chris Eubank Jr and has spoken on his chances against Conor Benn.
This generational rivalry has been simmering for years, ever since the pair were first meant to meet in October 2022 to continue on from two fights between their fathers in the nineties.
That fight was pulled late in the day after it was revealed Benn had failed two drugs tests in the months prior. He has spent the years since battling to prove his innocence in the eyes of sanctioning and governing bodies. At the end of 2024, he was cleared to fight in the UK with any suspensions lifted by an independent National Anti-Doping Panel.
Since then, negotiations between the two teams ramped up and now the pair are expected to fight at the end of April in London.
Speaking to Boxing News when the bout was first looking like it would be rescheduled, Groves assessed Eubank’s chances off the back of his knockout victory over Liam Smith after losing by stoppage in their first meeting.
“I can talk about Chris Eubank Jr who I thought was a lot better last time out. After the first fight with Liam Smith, I wondered if he was just a shot fighter, finished, the punch resistance gone, the body starting to fail. But he went back to the drawing board, made some changes with his tactics with his team and performed really well.”
He then sided with the man he beat on points back in 2018 to get his hand raised come fight night.
“I’d always really pick Eubank Jr to beat Benn. He’s naturally bigger, has been in bigger fights, is more experienced, dealt with the pressure. I’m not sure what state Connor Benn’s head is at right now, maybe its a good time to get Eubank, maybe not. He looks a force on the pads but I haven’t seen him fight in a long time.”
Tony Bellew disagrees with Groves and instead thinks Benn stands a good chance of victory despite his inactivity. An official announcement on the fight date and location is expected in the coming days.
