Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn are set to face off after close to three years of rivalry and controversy. Recenelty retired heavyweight Tyson Fury believes one man has the edge.
The pair of Brits, whose fathers fought back in the 1990s on two occasions, were first scheduled to fight in October of 2022 before it was revealed that Benn, 28, had failed two doping tests for banned substance Clomiphene.
Though he has had two low-level wins out in the US since, most of his attention has been on clearing his name and receiving permission to box in the UK, which he was given late last year when a provisional suspension was lifted.
Eubank – who has since been knocked out by Liam Smith, scored a stoppage of his own in the rematch and also finished Kamil Szeremeta early – has promised that he will ‘punish’ Benn for what he sees as cheating, no matter the explanation or ruling provided.
He will look to do so at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds, 13 pounds higher than Benn’s more natural welterweight. Though there is a 10 pound rehydration clause for Eubank to deal with on the morning of the fight, many in the sport feel the weight class favours him. That includes former two-time world heavyweight champion Fury, who told TNT Sports:
“It’s a weight category thing. If it’s at 10 stone or whatever it is, 10 and a half stone, it’s going to be Conor Benn, if it’s at middleweight, probably Chris Eubank Jr.”
Benn is confident that he can add the extra weight and keep his knockout power, however his recent wins at super welterweight, 154 pounds, went the full distance.
Fans will see the rivalry settled once and for all on April 26 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
