It was always going to be a fiery clash between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, but now, with just hours to go before fight night, tensions have officially boiled over.
What was already a grudge match has been supercharged by a weight controversy, bold trash talk, and a hefty financial penalty.
Chris Eubank Jr may have missed weight by just a hair, but he’s adamant it won’t matter when fists fly in the ring.
Eubank Jr Downplays Weight Miss and Fires Back
Despite tipping the scales just half an ounce over the agreed 160-pound middleweight limit, Eubank Jr is brushing it off.
Speaking confidently ahead of the fight, he made it clear he doesn’t think it’ll affect the outcome.
“If they’re going to take half a million for being 0.05lb over, so be it,” he said, referring to the £375,000 penalty slapped on him. “It has no relevance on what happens tomorrow.”
He didn’t stop there—Eubank Jr took direct aim at Benn and his promoter Eddie Hearn, claiming they’re trying to throw him off course.
“They’re trying to get me off track. None of it will work,” he said. “He’s in for a hell of a surprise.”
Conor Benn Claps Back with Confidence
Conor Benn, back fighting in the UK for the first time since his drug test saga, didn’t waste time reacting.
After news of the weight miss, he jumped on social media to share a blunt message: “Show me the mother******* money.”
But he was even more direct during the face-off.
“He should’ve made weight—he’s done it his whole career,” Benn said, showing zero sympathy. “I’m not giving him a pass.”
Benn, who’s fighting at 156 pounds despite being a natural 147-pounder, said he’s ready to use his speed and aggression.
“I’m not scared, not intimidated. I’m just here to take his head clean off.”
A Heated History Reignited
This bout was supposed to happen back in 2022 but was derailed when Benn tested positive for a banned substance.
Now, with that cloud cleared, they’re finally stepping into the ring—but the weight drama has rekindled old tensions.
The original agreement set the fight at a 157-pound catchweight—tricky for Eubank Jr, who’s boxed as high as super-middleweight.
This makes his recent weight struggles even more of a talking point.
Eubank Sr Still Against the Matchup
Chris Eubank Sr hasn’t held back his opinion either.
He’s long been against this fight, warning his son years ago not to go through with it.
“They’re putting on a fight that’s against the law of boxing,” he said recently.
“He’s the wrong weight. I said it then, and I’m saying it now.”
Fines, Mind Games, and the Final Countdown
Eubank Jr has already handed over £100,000 to the British Boxing Board of Control after slapping Benn with an egg at a February press conference.
With another £375,000 docked due to the weight issue, there’s now real money on the line—on top of a potential hit to his £7 million purse if he weighs over 170 pounds on fight day morning.
Whether the weight issues are about physical limits or psychological warfare, the build-up has only added more intrigue to what’s already one of the most anticipated fights in recent memory.