The very thing Chris Eubank Sr. feared has finally come to pass. From the beginning, he voiced concerns about the weight difference between his son, Chris Eubank Jr., and Conor Benn, worried it could lead to serious trouble, just like the last time the fight was called off. Eubank Sr. had even expressed interest in seeing his son face someone like Canelo Alvarez instead, so he wouldn’t have to drain himself to make weight. But here we are again, with the Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn bout back on—and now dealing with a new twist in the saga.
No, the fight hasn’t been canceled. In fact, it’s very much going ahead. The two will step into the ring tomorrow in front of a sold-out crowd of 65,000 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, not to mention millions watching around the world. The issue this time? Weight. The fight is scheduled at middleweight (160 lbs), and while Conor Benn is already stepping up two divisions from welterweight, it seems Chris Eubank Jr. has taken things a little too casually.
Just hours ago, the final weigh-in took place—and that’s where things got interesting. At the weigh-ins, Eubank Jr. tipped the scales at 160.2 lbs on his first attempt, and after a second try, the IBO middleweight champion managed to come in at 160.05 lbs., still 0.05 lbs above the contract-specified limit. Conor Benn, on the other hand, had no problems making weight, coming in comfortably at 156.4 lbs, without breaking a sweat.
As a result, Chris Eubank Jr. is now being fined a whopping $500,000, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger. That’s not all—he’s now required to stay under 170 lbs tomorrow morning, the day of the fight, as a result of the 10 lbs rehydration clause. If he goes over again, he’ll face another financial penalty. That’s wild. Naturally, social media has been buzzing with their responses.
Chris Eubank Jr. receives sympathy over the $500k fine for 0.05 lbs
One fan was taken aback by a sudden post, commenting, “Scared me, had me thinking the fight was off .”
Another user couldn’t help but notice the hefty fine, saying, “That fine for a non title fight is crazy stuff.”
Meanwhile, a third user sarcastically broke down the cause of the fine, writing, “500k for missing weight, 100k for slapping the egg, 50k for the undercard fighters, trying to bet a mill with Eddie… Eubank is SPENDING on this fight .”
Someone else had a suggestion for Eubank Jr., saying, “Take the fine, fight hydrated and healthy, and tump up this midget!”
A fan pointed out a key factor, noting, “35 isn’t 25 years old making weight only gets tougher with age.”
Shocked by the fine for such a small amount of weight, another user remarked, “500k for 22.7 grams? Ridiculous.”
Finally, one user couldn’t resist throwing a jab at Eubank Jr., saying, “No wonder his dad doesn’t back him.”
As for whether Chris Eubank Jr. will manage to make weight, it’s unclear, but given how Eddie Hearn described it, it might not be as hard as it seems.
The post Chris Eubank Jr. in Deep Trouble as $500,000 Fine Looms Over on Final Day, Fans Left Stunned- “Ridiculous” appeared first on EssentiallySports.