This is a natural rivalry. It stems from the rivalry between their fathers.
Benn-Eubank was just the biggest rivalry ever. I remember growing up, getting into boxing, I was probably eight years old when they fought the first time up the road from me at the NEC in Birmingham in 1990 and I just remember everybody talking about that fight.
They were both superstars and I guess because they had each other. You need a dance partner in boxing. They had each other and they couldn’t have been more different personalities, different fighting styles, so they were literally the perfect rivals.
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Johnny Nelson previews Chris Eubank Jr’s huge fight against Conor Benn, which will be shown live on Sky Sports Box Office
Who has won the mind games so far between Eubank Jr and Benn?
Chris Eubank Jr has achieved his purpose. He has riled Benn. He’s irritating him. He’s got him to lose his temper. He definitely winning the one-upmanship, if that’s what you want to call it.
Eubank Jr has achieved his purpose but at the same time, it works for Conor Benn too because he wants to be fired up and uses anger to motivate him and push him in training.
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Matt Macklin provided his thoughts after it was announced that Eubank Jr’s crossover fight with Benn will be broadcast on Sky Sports Box Office
It’s all about having fire in the belly but ice in the mind. You need to have passion, to know this is the biggest fight of your life to motivate you but you can’t allow that to overwhelm you and run away with yourself and get too emotional, get too invested because you will burn up a load of energy and won’t make the right decisions. It’s all about just staying cool, calm and collected and composed amongst the chaos.
This has name recognition, huge profiles and massive media attention. Everyone wants to see this fight. In terms of media attention and hype, this is right up there with any fight we have ever seen.
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Harlem Eubank believes there is a ‘mismatch’ between his cousin Chris Eubank Jr and his opponent Conor Benn inside and outside of the ring
Will Benn stepping up two weight divisions be an issue?
It could be significant. But, Father Time is undefeated and Eubank Jr hasn’t looked as good in recent performances as he did a few years back.
The athletic attributes that he had served him so well, his chin, his stamina, they were probably his two best assets. Obviously, they dwindle as you get older.
I don’t think his punch resistance is what it was, and naturally his stamina won’t be what it was, and also coming down in weight, going up in weight, coming back down to weight, making 160 pounds, the middleweight limit, I think, will really hurt Chris Eubank, Jr at this stage of his career.
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Listen in to the exchange between Benn and Eubank Jr during their recent head-to-head, which led to Eubank Jr slapping Benn with an egg
So who wins?
Timing is key in the fight. There are lots of unknowns. Can Benn carry the power up to middleweight? He’s had a couple of fights up at super welterweight but it hasn’t been as dynamic. Eubank Jr, what has he got left? We don’t really know the answer.
Eubank Jr is a pretty strong favourite. But I was speaking to Nigel Benn at the press conference at Tottenham Hotspur, and I thought I better not sit around him too long because his confidence nearly swayed me. He cannot see his son losing.
I think you have to say Eubank Jr is favourite.
Watch Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn live on Sky Sports Box Office on April 26.
