According to “sources” picked up by ESPN.com / Mike Coppinger, the so-called long-awaited grudge-match between sons of two great British champions, Chris Eubank Junior and Conor Benn, is now set for April 26th. The fight – one that would have happened back in October of 2022 before Benn tested positive for a banned substance – remained of interest to some people, Eddie Hearn for one, the promoter saying yesterday that in light of Tyson Fury’s “retirement” and with it the saying goodbye to a Fury-Anthony Joshua fight, Eubank-Benn is now the biggest fight in British boxing.
Maybe. But plenty of people have cooled on this fight, really a fight that is big only due to the last names of both boxers. According to Mike Coppinger, the fight will take place in London and will be fought at 160 pounds, with a rehydration clause of 170 pounds set for the same-day weigh-in.
Eubank, back in October of 2022, had to drain himself down to 157 pounds, this too low and dangerous a weight for him in the opinion of many, his father especially. To prove he could do it, Eubank made the weight – and looked pretty awful, even skeletal – even after the fight had been pulled.
So, will this fight sell out a huge stadium, perhaps Tottenham Hotspur stadium? Is Eubank Jr Vs. Benn really the biggest fight in British boxing today? Sure, we fans will watch it, but is anyone really expecting a classic fight here? Benn, 23-0(14) is a natural welterweight, while Eubank Jr, 34-3(25) has boxed as high as 168 pounds.
There is plenty of what appears to be genuine dislike on both sides here, and the hype and fun and games in the lead-up to the fight could prove to be, well, fun and games. But will the fight deliver? In truth, Benn has not really proved anything at elite level yet, while Eubank, though he has met some elite fighters, including George Groves, Billy Joe Saunders, James DeGale, and Arthur Abraham, he was beaten by Groves and Saunders, while DeGale and Abraham were over the hill.
Are YOU excited about this fight, this so-called ‘Next Generation’ fight set now for April 26th? Obviously, this one will be a P-P-V offering. Perhaps, with a stellar undercard, it could prove to be a fun night.
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