Eubank Sr. may see the April 26 clash between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn as a ‘disgrace,’ but Nigel Benn and promoter Eddie Hearn couldn’t disagree more. In fact, Benn Sr. had publicly urged Eubank Sr. to patch things up with his son and be in his corner for the fight. In fact, he hoped the night to be a family affair, one watched by a packed crowd of 65,000 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and countless more across the boxing world. A night heavy with history!
With just three days to go, the anticipation is at fever pitch. And yes, the weight disparity remains the elephant in the room. The official weigh-in hasn’t happened yet, but the talk is relentless. Eubank Jr. is expected to face an opponent coming up from two divisions below—a move his father has branded “illegal.” But with the fight still very much on, Conor Benn’s camp, led by a fired-up Eddie Hearn, seems ready to deliver the final blow.
Chris Eubank Jr. has pounds to shed, still!
Earlier today, iFL TV’s Joe Pugh caught up with the Matchroom head honcho at the Grand Arrivals for Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn, where Hearn didn’t hold back in responding to Eubank Sr.’s weight-related comments. According to Hearn, Conor Benn may be a “big welterweight,” but come Saturday night, Chris Eubank Jr. will still be the significantly bigger man. “Chris Eubank Jr will be between 10 pounds and a stone heavier than Conor Benn. It is what it is,” Eddie Hearn admitted. And while that might raise eyebrows, Hearn’s message was pretty clear. “We knew what we signed up for.” But then, he flipped the script a bit.
“HE’S GOT A LOT OF WEIGHT TO COME OFF”@EddieHearn on @ChrisEubankJr‘s weight cut
Do you think Eubank will make weight on Friday?
Check out our full interview with Eddie HERE https://t.co/dRd0kOZ2hv#EubankBenn | #FatalFury | #FightWeek pic.twitter.com/fIT6rdnCGs
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) April 23, 2025
“But let’s stop the narrative. Oh, Jr. has got to make weight, yeah. His fu–ing weight,” Eddie Hearn pointed out. But here’s the thing. Does that hamper Conor Benn’s gameplay? Absolutely not. He’s relaxed. And then the Matchroom head honcho shared some good news for his fighter. Which is? “Conor Benn will be going home tonight. Doing a little bit of mobility work. Maybe a little light run, nice bit of food, wake up in the morning feeling 110%.” No pressure, no nothing. Just sharp pads, good food, and focus.
Eubank Jr., on the other hand? Hearn doesn’t sugarcoat it. “He’s got a lot of weight to come off,” Eddie Hearn mentioned. And that t00 – Fast. But honestly! In case you saw the Grand Arrivals, you can even see it. Hearn said, just by how Chris Eubank Jr. was moving with his “skinny jeans”, the strain of the cut is starting to show on Eubank Jr., who has to dehydrate down to 160 lbs by weigh-in time. Then there is also the 10 lbs rehydration clause Eubank has to worry about. The message? These next few days will be a grind for Eubank Jr., and that could matter when it’s time to step into the ring.
Bottom line: Hearn is defending Benn while subtly painting Eubank Jr. as the one under pressure—and perhaps, the one with more to lose. And it’s not just Hearn who senses that. Even Conor Benn’s sparring partner believed Chris Eubank Jr. could be underestimating the younger, hungrier challenger. Why?
Is Eubank Jr living in a false sense of security?
Yesterday, Everything Boxing posted a clip on X showing Conor Benn in a sparring session with Denzel Bentley—the same middleweight who went 3-0 last year, with two knockouts. After the session, Bentley didn’t hold back with his thoughts ahead of Benn’s clash with Chris Eubank Jr. And his take on Eubank? Brutal.
Boxing: Charlo vs Hogan, Dec 7, 2019 Brooklyn, NY, USA Chris Eubank Jr. exits the ring after defeating Matt Korobov not pictured by technical knockout during a middleweight World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft fight at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports, 07.12.2019 23:30:17, 13775244, Boxing, Barclays Center, Matt Korobov PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSarahxStierx 13775244
“His best days are when he was mad relentless. Now he’s trying to be a boxer,” Bentley said. According to ‘2 Sharp’ , the old Eubank—the one who used to throw with wild aggression—is gone. At 35, Chris Eubank Jr’s switched to a slicker, more measured style. “He’s trying to be a boxer, he’s done himself.” He even went as far as saying Eubank’s slowed down and should consider retirement. The kicker? “He thinks he’s quick.”
Later, when the focus shifted to Conor Benn, his tone changed completely. He called Benn “mad intense” and “crazy explosive.” And this wasn’t just hype. Bentley’s been in the ring with him (during training sessions). He’s felt the power firsthand. One key point he made? People are underestimating Benn because of his size. But Bentley saw that as an edge: “Where he’s so small, he’s making himself a smaller target.”
The way Bentley talked about Benn’s body shots? You could feel the respect. “I know if I miss, he’s coming back straight to the body and he’s a fu–ing good body puncher,” he said. So much so, Bentley admitted he had to hesitate in sparring. That says a lot. His bottom line? Conor Benn is strong enough to handle Chris Eubank Jr. at this stage of his career.
Does Denzel Bentley’s brutal take on Eubank reveal a deeper truth? Or do you think history will repeat itself again:a Eubank defeating a Benn?
The post Chris Eubank Jr. at High Risk as Eddie Hearn Shares Good News for Conor Benn Before Mega-Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.