A RIVALRY REBORN - CHRIS EUBANK JR VS CONOR BENN

As far as rivalries go, they don’t get much bigger than Chris Eubank Sr vs Nigel Benn.

Two fights with three years between them—the thought of a domestic rivalry being bigger than this one, at the time, was a crazy suggestion.

However, over 30 years on, a rivalry has brewed that could well surpass it in terms of numbers and hype, and it’s between two men very close to home… their sons.

Originally set to take place back in October 2022, there was respect between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, with the rivalry seemingly being down to their fathers’ bad blood.

However, after Conor Benn failed two drugs tests—both of which he has since been cleared for—the fight was called off.

At the time, the boxing world was left disappointed. Two of the biggest contenders in the UK, putting it all on the line, albeit at a 157lbs catchweight, for the bragging rights of a rivalry that has lasted decades.

Since then, the pair have continually gone back and forth, both in person and on social media. The animosity has grown, the rivalry has become more intense, and most of all, the demand to see these two finally put hands on each other inside a boxing ring has skyrocketed.

Then, with 2025 less than a month old, we got confirmation—Chris Eubank Jr will take on Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 26th.

Finally, it was on.

As expected, the launch press conference for the fight delivered.

From the off, Eubank went straight at Eddie Hearn and then took aim at Benn.

Benn, with promoter Eddie Hearn and father Nigel at his side, gave it back as good as he got. The blue touchpaper had been well and truly lit, and we hadn’t even seen them face off yet.

With the presser done, it was time for the pair to go head-to-head.

Words were exchanged, and then came the viral moment…

A big slap from Eubank Jr to the face of Benn.

The internet had been broken in a matter of seconds. It turned out that Eubank hadn’t just slapped Benn—he’d slapped him with an egg.

Benn was fuming, Benn Sr was fuming, Eddie was fuming—everyone was fuming apart from Team Eubank.

The second presser was just as lively, but without the controversy at the end.

Eubank set about Eddie Hearn once again, and unsurprisingly, the Matchroom chief gave it as good as he got.

The fighters exchanged words once again, both during the presser and on the pitch after it, but there was to be no major viral moment from the day.

So anyway, enough of the antics outside the ring—now to what we can expect inside it when these two are finally unleashed on each other in a professional environment.

The first thing we need to look at in this fight—as much as Eubank doesn’t want to—is the size differential. Benn is coming up two weight classes here to take on a natural, established middleweight in Eubank.

Eubank is the taller man by three inches, but a factor that will play a big part in how this fight goes is the five-inch reach advantage that Eubank has.

For someone with the hand speed he possesses, this will undoubtedly be a big part of his game plan.

Benn is likely going to come in all guns blazing. Eubank has evidently got under his skin, and after what’s happened and been said in the press conferences, it would be a tough ask for even the calmest of people to not want to rip Eubank’s head off if they were in Benn’s boots.

Despite Eubank’s sharpness working in his favour, Benn’s explosiveness is likely to work in his.

He cannot afford to let his rival find his timing and range early on. He’s got to slip and slide inside that reach and look to get to the body early.

Despite avenging the loss, Eubank showed vulnerabilities in his first fight with Liam Smith. How much of that was due to the fact that he had boiled down to 157lbs to face Benn for their original date, we don’t know—but he looked a shadow of himself in that fight. When stopping Smith in their rematch, he looked much better, despite Smith evidently being in a bad way due to his ongoing hip and back injury and the fact he had to drop 42lbs during the weight cut.

Based on recent form, it’s hard to gauge where both of these fighters are at.

Both have been inactive, having fought just once in 2024 against relatively modest opposition.

The big question will likely be how these two fighters manage the weight—Benn going up nearly a stone and Eubank, at his usual weight, having a rehydration clause to contend with.

Also, will the experience of Eubank Jr play a bigger factor than Benn’s youthfulness and freshness?

A lot of questions will be answered on April 26th—so enjoy the build-up and fasten your seatbelts for what will be an explosive fight between two men who really cannot stand the sight of each other.