Chris Eubank Jr will struggle Conor Benn in London, it has been confirmed.
Turki Alalshikh, chair of the Normal Leisure Authority which has staged a sequence of high-profile occasions underneath the Riyadh Season banner, mentioned Eubank vs Benn was “done in April, London”.
Eubank Jr and Benn have been initially meant to face one another in October 2022, just for the latter to fail two drug assessments.
Benn’s licence was eliminated by the British Boxing Board of Management however the suspensions have been lifted final November after the Nationwide Anti-Doping Panel acknowledged it was “not comfortably satisfied” the 28-year-old had dedicated a doping offence.
Because the cancelled struggle over two years in the past, Eubank Jr misplaced to Liam Smith however received the rematch in 2023 and solely fought as soon as in 2024, with a stoppage victory over Kamil Szeremeta.
Benn spent 525 days out of the ring earlier than boxing in America, beating Mexican Rodolfo Orozco in September 2023 in Florida, then Peter Dobson in Las Vegas final February. He took each of these wins by unanimous resolution.
With the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium reportedly the venue for the struggle, promoter Ben Shalom beforehand advised Sky Sports activities: “It’s one of the biggest fights out there for British boxing alongside Fury vs Joshua. I believe it sells out any stadium in the country.”
The load the pair – the sons of nice rivals Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn – would struggle at had been sticking level in talks to make the bout, with Benn boxing at welterweight and Eubank working two divisions larger at middleweight. Eubank had been decided to have this rescheduled struggle in his division, 160lbs, moderately than at a catchweight.
Solely on Tuesday Eubank Jr was publicly criticising Benn and his promoter Eddie Hearn for “trying to enforce a rehydration restriction on me to make the fight”.
Benn responded: “10lbs rehydration because I’m already fighting a middleweight but you want to get in the ring at as a light-heavyweight?
“Making excuses already for once I staple you to the ground.”
The negotiations to make the fight have been protracted. Benn previously told Sky Sports: “For my part, it is one of many largest British home fights in historical past. I do not assume two fathers and two sons have ever fought [like this]. It is about historical past. It is about legacy.”
