Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn face off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this coming weekend and, like many in the boxing world, Ricky Hatton and Carl Froch can’t settle on how it plays out.
Benn will be moving up to middleweight for the challenge as a natural welterweight, however Eubank is limited by a 10lbs rehydration clause on fight day.
Speaking to Froch directly, Hatton laid out his reason for backing Benn.
“A lot of people are favouring Eubank. I get why they’re doing it. Let’s have it right, Conor’s not boxed anyone near Chris’ potential, and when you think who Chris has been in with, Billy Joe Saunders, at that level, at his own weight. To jump up two weights and fight Chris, it is a massive ask.
“Chris has to boil down that little bit extra, that will help Conor. Cause I know him personally, I just know the desire, the self-belief, the drive that he has. He will not be denied, like his dad. Chris has been stopped. When the fight with Conor fell through he fought Liam. He’d been boiling himself down and I think that’s why he got knocked out. Which is what he’s doing again, so I’m gonna go with my mate Conor.”
In a seperate video, ‘The Cobra’ backed Eubank.
“I think that all the variables you look at who has done what, whose the bigger, stronger man, who has the experience at world level. Eubank fought Groves, Saunders, beat Arthur Abraham, James DeGale, a former world champion, he’s fought at a better level and proved at a higher weight he belongs at world level.
“Conor Benn has done nothing. Nothing, Yes he knocked out Chris Algieri who is a former champ and looked good doing it but it was a way past his best Algieri.
“If I’m going to pick my immediate favourite in this fight, I’m going with Chris Eubank Jr.”
The two predictions highlight the variables at play come Saturday night in London, with Eubank entering the ring a slight favourite but many fans being drawn in by the confidence of Benn.
