Conor Benn: “They’re dangerous” – Chris Eubank Jr.’s promoter opens up on last-minute drama surrounding Conor Benn’s glove-choice for fight night

Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn are set to go to war in the ring on April 26 in a much-anticipated clash. However, there have been several drama-filled moments throughout fight week, with Eubank Jr. missing the 160-pound weight limit by a narrow 0.05 pounds. But, another saga appears to have come to fruition as there has been a massive dispute in the gloves that Benn will be using on fight night.

According to Ben Shalom, the promoter of ‘NextGen’, the contract stipulated that no gloves filled with horse-hair would be allowed in the fight. However, Frank Smith, the CEO of Matchroom Boxing promotions, who signed Benn, stated that the contract stipulated that the gloves only needed to be approved by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC).

The gloves that Benn intends to use have been approved by the BBBoC, but also contain horse-hair, leading to a major dispute between the two parties. Shalom was recently interviewed by iFL TV, where he said:

“We’ve got a contract, there’s no horse-hair gloves. They’re dangerous gloves. He cannot wear those gloves… It’s not been resolved as far as I understand… The fight is not in jeopardy, but it was contracted for a reason, because it dangerous.”

Check out Chris Eubank Jr.’s promoter discuss the glove issue below (4:00):

Eddie Hearn blames Chris Eubank Jr.’s weight-miss on the team of ‘NextGen’

Chris Eubank Jr. missed weight for the first time in his career ahead of his clash with Conor Benn, set to go down at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

But according to Benn’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, the main reason for Eubank Jr.’s weight miss was due to the team he had around him. The Matchroom Boxing chairman firmly believes that had Eubank Jr. been signed to his promotion then he would not have missed weight.

During a recent interview with Seconds Out, Hearn said:

“I don’t feel like the people [Eubank Jr.] had around him at the time were actually telling him to do the right things. I don’t want to sound like an arrogant p**ck, which I probably do quite a lot, I could have got him to make weight. From the moment he turned up, I could’ve got him to make weight. Very easily. But they f**ked around and they wasted time and then they left it too late. Then they took half-an-ounce off, it was pretty easy to do.”

Check out Eddie Hearn’s comments on Chris Eubank Jr. missing weight below (3:00):

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Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam’s fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier’s bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam’s favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda’s guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi