ONE of the fiercest discussion points ahead of Chris Eubank Jr’s middleweight clash with Conor Benn tomorrow evening has, of course, been the rehydration clause.
As the pair gear up to hit the scales later today, one fighter – a starkly depleted version of himself – will look vastly different to the other, a natural welterweight operator.
Clearly, making the 160lb limit is no walk in the park for Eubank, 34-3 (25 KOs), and, this time around, he must also contend with a second day weigh-in.
The 10lb rehydration clause, restricting the 35-year-old from exceeding the 170lb limit, is typical for a fight sanctioned by the IBF – but this is no world title fight.
Rather, Eubank and Benn, 23-0 (14 KOs), have done a tremendous job, facilitated largely by their fathers’ iconic rivalry, to build what has become a blockbuster event.
Without their surnames, though, it is highly unlikely that two combatants would have ever crossed paths, let alone agreed to collide at a sold-out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
And yet, here we are, staring down the barrel of perhaps the most talked-about boxing show to take place on British shores this year.
But while there are still doubts over whether Eubank will make weight, his promoter, Boxxer boss Ben Shalom, has hinted at a possible rule change for their rematch.
Regardless of the result, both Benn and Eubank are set to lock horns in a second encounter later this year and, as far as Shalom is concerned, the inclusion of another rehydration clause is not set in stone.
“We’ve got to see how much [Eubank’s weight cut] hurts, how much it becomes a problem,” Shalom told Boxing News.
“Obviously it’s not ideal. That’s all we’re thinking about – making weight [today]. It gets harder and harder [for Eubank] every time, and the rehydration clause doesn’t make it any easier.
“Hopefully we’ll look at [removing the rehydration clause] after this fight, but the main thing is getting the win.”
Aside from weight-related concerns, there is also a feeling of discomfort, at least within some circles, regarding Benn’s two failed drug tests in 2022.
The 28-year-old tested positive for clomifene, a banned substance, and subsequently had his ban to box professionally in the UK lifted by the National Anti-Doping Panel.
But without the emergence of any evidence to support his claimed innocence, boxing aficionados have been left in the dark on whether to believe that he is, in fact, a clean fighter.
And while the sport’s attitude towards failed tests, more broadly, remains nebulous to say the least, the lack of a deterrent represents perhaps the biggest issue with regard to doping.
“For me, it’s the bans [that need to change],” Shalom opined. “Most of the top fighters only fight once or twice a year.
“So to ban them for a year, you’re taking a fight away from their career and, possibly even because of the notoriety, they’re getting paid more on their return.
“[Fighters] will look at whether the punishment is worth the crime. If the punishment doesn’t seem too severe, they’re going to keep [doping].
“The only way it stops is if people are brave enough to [ban a fighter for] four years, with strict liability.”
Watch Eubank Jr vs Benn on Saturday 26th April live on DAZN, the global home of boxing with over 185+ fights per year.
