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Chris Eubank Jr. and the long fade: Is it time for second-generation star to heed his father's words?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. For me, hindsight’s main goal is to help you learn from your mistakes by politely reminding you about them. Forever.
Roughly seven months ago, Chris Eubank Jr. was the toast of north London after beating bitter rival Conor Benn on points in a fight that was two-and-a-half years in the making.
Looking back, it was a perfect time to bow out. That first fight was an incredible, absorbing battle – a genuine Fight of the Year contender – and Eubank Jr. was a deserving winner. The Brighton star appeared to have settled his long-running feud - and the family rivalry - with Benn when he emotionally had his hand raised in April.
His dad – Chris Eubank Sr. – implored him afterwards to walk away, citing how unforgiving boxing can be and the perils attached to prize fighting. However, if Eubank Jr. has shown us anything over the years it is that he is his own man. Laconic. Stubborn. Uncompromising.
Besides, there were 10 million reasons why he should take the rematch, given that the prize fund on offer for the second dance was £18m and Eubank Jr. had negotiated a 60/40 split in his favour. Plenty was said in the run up to the rematch, but one of the more profound sound bites came from Eubank Jr. himself.
"My dad wants me to sail off into the sunset but you don't do that,” he said a couple of days before the fight. “You do that when you're on a downswing or you're not physically able to keep doing what you've been doing, not after a huge win.”
So where does Saturday’s surprisingly one-sided defeat leave him now? The judges scored it 119-107, 116-110, 118-108 for Benn, and the truth of the matter is that it was a bit of a beatdown. Eubank Jr. looked a shell of the fighter who controlled the early action and then dug in so bravely during the championship rounds of that first fight back in April.
The footwork - for years on point and often majestic – looked off on Saturday and crackled like a vintage vinyl record. He’s been a pro since 2011. This was his seventh twelve-round fight. All will have left a mark physically. It’s amazing to think that his tear up with Billy Joe Saunders for the British, European, and Commonwealth middleweight titles took place 11 years ago this month.
The Eubank jab has improved massively over the years but was conspicuous by its absence in north London. In truth, he was outboxed by a smaller man with a shorter reach. There were signs fairly early on in the fight that things were not quite right. At one point Eubank Jr. was looking at the big screen – presumably to see how long was left in the round.
To be fair to him Eubank Jr. was very sporting in the aftermath, refusing to be drawn on his own battle with the scales and instead giving all the credit to Benn. However, there can be no denying that he looked worn out and hollowed by his draining duel to hit 160 and the fact that a repressive rehydration clause prevented him adding more than 10lbs a day after the official weigh-in.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
His father, who was involved in untold wars during a Hall of Fame career, actually retired at the age of 32 and tellingly, Eubank Jr. has now a been a pro longer than Chris Eubank Sr. boxed professionally.
Eubank Jr. is a smart guy. Privately educated with a penchant for high stakes poker. In his fighting heyday, he was a force of nature: a human hurricane in gloves. But the fading process – the gradual decline - hurts more than any punch a fighter ever has to take. His next decision needs to be sensible. The stakes could not be higher.
There was no talk of retirement – at least from the fighter himself – afterwards at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The competitive spirit and spark within Eubank Jr. still lingers. It’s the same spark that once lit up arenas and flat-packed opponents. However, watching on Saturday, it looked like time – as it tends to do – has collected its rent.
- Rerad next | What's next for Chris Eubank Jr. following his lopsided loss to Conor Benn in their rematch?
Saturday was clearly a fight too far for the 36-year-old, certainly at 160. Could he move up and fight Canelo Alvarez – possibly at Wembley Stadium – in 2026? It's possible.
But know this: For every fighter who carries on too long, their prime acts as a ghost that haunts them every single time they lace up the gloves.
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