Chris Eubank Jr handed Conor Benn his first professional loss by winning their middleweight rivalry bout through a unanimous points decision.
All three officials scored the match at 116-112 following an exhilarating 12-round battle, with both competitors launching strong attacks from the outset and engaging fiercely before a crowd of 65,000 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The contest featured the sons of legendary boxing champions and fierce rivals, Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn, who faced off twice in the 1990s. It was previously called off in 2022 after Benn tested positive for small amounts of the fertility drug clomifene.
“I always believed I could achieve that, and I just required someone to push it out of me.
I didn’t foresee him being that person,” Eubank shared with DAZN.
“The history of our fathers participating in similar battles ignites something deep within you.
“I was unaware of the depth of his resilience. I expected to overcome him quickly. This was not the way I trained for this fight.”
Both fathers were in attendance, 32 years after their last encounter, and shared a hug in the ring prior to the start of the match.
The bout itself echoed the past confrontations their fathers had, characterized by intense aggression and vibrant energy.
“It was a tight contest,” Benn stated afterward. “I need to review it again. I believed I came out on top.
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Perhaps I lingered on the ropes for too long. I had a great time and it felt like a tremendous homecoming.
“We always recognized Chris as a skilled fighter, and he knows how to talk a good game.”
Benn had moved up in weight to compete against someone who had been a fierce opponent beyond the ring.
“I feel confident that I can drop back to a lower weight class and capture a title,” Benn remarked upon reflecting.
A rematch between the two is included in the contract, and promoter Eddie Hearn insisted that it should take place, in his view.
“I couldn’t decide between them. I thought Benn was ahead in the fight and then lost the final two rounds,” Hearn told journalists.
“It is what it is, but I didn’t perceive Eubank winning by four rounds.
Benn emerged as the champion of the people.
He stepped up to battle a middleweight and confronted every challenge thrown at him. His determination to secure a victory remained unwavering.
“It was among the most intense bouts I have ever witnessed.
“Those two fighters deserve mutual respect after that encounter.”
