EXPLAINER
Who are the fighters, and what’s the family rivalry? When and where is the fight? Al Jazeera explains.
The latest instalment in one of boxing’s most bitter and longstanding rivalries will play out when Chris Eubank Jr takes on Conor Benn in a rematch of their bout that took place in April.
The British fighters have boxing – and a mutual dislike – running through their blood as their fathers did years ago, making the bout titled “Unfinished Business” another eagerly-awaited fight night.
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Here’s what you need to know about the rematch:
When and where is the Eubank Jr vs Benn rematch?
The rematch is scheduled for Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the United Kingdom.
When is the ringwalk, and what’s the fight start time?
The boxers are expected to make their ringwalk at 21:35 GMT, ahead of the 22:00 GMT fight start time.
Who won the last Eubank Jr vs Benn fight?
The rivals last met on April 26 at the same venue in a much-hyped grudge match, which Eubank Jr won on a unanimous points decision to hand Benn his first career defeat.
All three judges scored the fight 116-112 after a pulsating 12-round slugfest, with both men coming out hard from the start and going toe-to-toe in the dramatic fight.
Why are Eubank Jr and Benn fighting again?
A rematch between the pair was in the contract, and promoter Eddie Hearn made it clear after the April fight that it would happen.
Benn argued successfully that his consumption of eggs elevated his testosterone levels.
At their first media face-to-face before the April fight, Eubank pulled out an egg and smacked it on Benn’s face. The British Boxing Board of Control fined him $130,000.
Who is on the undercard?
Jack Catterall v Ekow Essuman – welterweight
Adam Azim v Kurt Scoby – light welterweight
Richard Riakporhe v Tommy Welch – heavyweight
Sam Gilley v Ishmael Davis – British and Commonwealth super-welterweight titles
Mikie Tallon v Fezan Shahid – super flyweight
What is the fight purse?
While the promoters haven’t announced the purse, it is reported to be the same as the previous fight: 18 million British pounds ($23.7mn)
Who is Chris Eubank Jr?
Son of British boxing great and former middleweight boxing champion Chris Eubank, Eubank Jr is a professional boxer from Hove, a southern seaside town in the UK.
Since making his professional debut in 2011, the 35-year-old has become the reigning middleweight champion of the International Boxing Organization (IBO), and has also previously held the IBO’s super middleweight title and the World Boxing Organization’s interim middleweight title.
Fighting with an orthodox stance, Eubank Jr is the top-ranked middleweight boxer in the UK and third in the world.
What’s Eubank Jr’s fight record?
Bouts: 38
Wins: 35 – by knockout: 25
Losses: 3 – by knockout: 1
Who is Conor Benn?
Benn, too, has boxing flowing through his blood, as his father Nigel Benn was a two-weight champion in the 1990s. Based in the East London suburb of Ilford, the 28-year-old turned professional in 2016.
Benn has faced a fair share of controversy after a failed a doping test in 2022. The then-rising star of British boxing was suspended by the UK’s anti-doping agency for using clomiphene, a fertility drug deemed prohibited. His suspension was lifted in November 2024.
What’s Benn’s fight record?
Bouts: 24
Wins: 23 – by knockout: 14
Losses: 1
Will both boxers adjust their weights for the fight?
The bout will be fought at middleweight – 160lbs (71.5kg) – similar to the previous bout, where Benn had to move up from his welterweight division – 147lbs (66kg). He went in lighter than expected at 156.4lbs.
Meanwhile, Eubank Jr fights at middleweight, but since the boxers cannot weigh more than 170lbs (77kg) on fight night, he will have to drop from his 180lbs (81kg).
Eubank Jr was fined $500,000 after hitting the scales half an ounce over the limit for the April fight.
Both fighters will have to monitor their weight as the rehydration clause does not allow them to put on more than 10lbs (4.5kg) during the time between the weigh-in and the day of the fight.
Why was the Eubank Jr-Benn fight cancelled three year ago?
The first bout was originally set for 2022, but was scrapped after Benn’s voluntary urine test showed trace amounts of the fertility drug clomiphene, a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels while burning fat.
What’s the history of the Eubank vs Benn rivalry?
Saturday’s bout is a battle of second-generation contenders, reviving the Benn v Eubank feud in which the rivals’ fathers battled it out in two ferocious contests in the early 1990s.
The pair’s first gruesome fight took place in November 1990, and Eubank won by total knockout in the ninth round. A much-anticipated rematch was set up three years later and ended in a draw, leading to both men retaining their respective belts.
How can I buy tickets for Eubank Jr vs Benn?
Tickets are still up for grabs on several online platforms, including the venue’s own website.
How to watch Eubank Jr vs Benn rematch?
The fight will only be shown on DAZN.
