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Eubank Jr vs Benn: The blockbuster clash that will not be overshadowed by its critics
It is almost time for both men to show that actions speak louder than words when they enter the ring in front of over 60,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and millions watching around the world on DAZN PPV.
The amount of air time and column inches afforded to the media build-up this week has said much for the huge intrigue surrounding the bout.
You cannot turn on a television or open a newspaper this week without consuming the latest news and views on the fight.
Yet while fight fans are relishing the prospect of the two men finally going head to head – and reigniting the legendary Eubank-Benn rivalry – the scrap nevertheless has its detractors.
Some people claim to have no interest in it.
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Others freely admit they resent the fact it is taking place.
There are those who have dismissed it as a “meaningless punch-up” between two men who could not hold a candle to the era-defining rivalry their fathers famously enjoyed over three decades ago.
Well, the loss is theirs.
Let it be remembered, of course, that when Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn first fought in 1990, it was for the WBO middleweight championship of the world.
The rematch in 1993 was for the WBC and WBO super-middleweight world titles.
Saturday night at Tottenham Hotspur’s iconic home is not a title fight, that much is true, and the snipers have come out in force from some quarters this week.
Critics have also queried whether a step in two weight divisions will be too much for Benn and if the drop to 160lb will nullify Eubank Jr’s natural advantages in size.
Then, of course, there is the whole issue surrounding why this fight did not take place as originally scheduled in October 2022: Benn’s failed drugs test.
Eubank Jr has called his rival a “drugs cheat” in the build-up to their fight.
Infamously at their press conference in February, he even smashed an egg on Benn’s face in mockery of an explanation previously offered for how clomiphene entered his system.
To some it has felt all rather tawdry, but all these sub-plots merely add to the drama and intrigue.
Legacy is everything in boxing and there is a certain romance to the sons of two of the greatest fighters of their generation going head to head.
That cannot be denied. Consider the financial implications, too.
When the fight was originally scrapped, Benn and Eubank were due to trouser around £3million each at The 02.
Fast forward two and a half years and the rescheduled fight is taking place at Tottenham’s plush stadium where both fighters stand to pocket around £7million each.
The media turnout at the pre-fight press conferences has been huge.
The family history, the absence of Eubank Sr this weekend after falling out with his son, the bad blood between the fighters, and the fact that this stands to be a potentially career-defining fight for both men.
That is why this fight matters rather a lot.
The 60,000-plus fight fans at a raucous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night – and global television audience – would certainly vouch for that.
Watch three incredible fight nights in one week only on DAZN
Fight fans are in for a treat at the end of April / start of May, with three amazing fight cards within seven days - and DAZN PPV is the only place to watch them all.
- April 26: Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn
- May 2: Ryan Garcia vs Rolly Romero; Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez; Teofimo Lopez vs Arnold Barboza Jr.
- May 3: Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull
Arch rivals Eubank Jr and Benn finally go head-to-head to start the exhilarating week, with PPV prices at £19.95 in the UK; $24.99 in the US; €24.99 in Europe.
Garcia vs. Romero and Canelo vs. Scull fight nights follow, which will both be exclusively on DAZN. Fight fans can purchase either fight individually for $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; ROW - $24.99 per PPV or take advantage of the DAZN Knockout Weekend Bundle where both fights can be purchased for $90 US; £34.99 in the UK and €34.99 in Europe .
