CHRIS Eubank Jr finds himself in a typically relaxed mood, while nonetheless gleaming with confidence, ahead of his fiercely anticipated clash with domestic rival Conor Benn.
The pair were, of course, supposed to collide back in 2022, before Benn, 23-0 (14 KOs), tested positive for clomifene, a banned substance, following two Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) tests.
But since then, the 28-year-old’s ban to box professionally in the UK has been lifted by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP), allowing him to enter a lucrative clash with Eubank, 34-3 (25 KOs), this Saturday.
The pair will lock horns at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, in a middleweight bout – with a 10lb rehydration clause – that has proved polarizing to say the least.
And yet, despite boasting a natural size advantage over his opponent, Eubank firmly believes that his experience represents a far greater asset.
“This fight isn’t about size or weight,” he said at yesterday’s Grand Arrivals. “It’s about skill. It’s about dedication. It’s about expertise and all those areas in which I excel in.
“I have many, many more years of experience over Conor Benn, and that will be the deciding factor of the night.”
Sure enough, Eubank has competed at a much higher level than Benn, whose best win arrived against a faded Chris Algieri in 2021.
Even in the fights he lost – more so against Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves – the 35-year-old gave a strong account of himself and showed, if nothing else, that he possesses a tremendous chin.
His durability, however, was then put to the test against Liam Smith who, in what was considered a sizable upset at the time, secured a fourth-round stoppage victory over the Brightonian in 2023.
But in their immediate rematch, Eubank produced arguably a career-best performance to halt the former world champion who, by his own admission, was far from his best.
Nevertheless, it would appear that Eubank, echoing the words of his iconic father, anticipates an equally dominant display when he finally squares off against Benn.
“The procedure will be parliamentary,” he said. “That’s the only thing I can say about the outcome of this fight.
“If everything goes the way I want it to go – I will be like a matador in that ring, and Conor Benn will be the bull.”
Watch Eubank Jr vs Benn on Saturday 26th April live on DAZN, the global home of boxing with over 185+ fights per year. Buy the pay-per-view now at https://www.dazn.com/oneonone
