IF you watch horror movies, you’ll know that The Exorcist is almost perfect. However, every sequel has been a poor imitation of the original.
William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece is not alone in that regard. Almost every franchise fails to reach the high-water mark of its initial entry.
The same is often true of boxing. Few rematches live up to the magic of the first encounter. With the announcement that Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will battle it out once more, on September 20 at an as-yet-unnamed venue in London, the pair will look to defy the odds by attempting to surpass their initial brawl.
It feels more unlikely than usual that they will succeed, as they captured lightning in a bottle with that first meeting. What was ostensibly a freak show fight somehow ended up being a classic.
Two failed drug tests, the last-minute cancellation of their first date, the egg slap, the estrangement between the Eubanks, the fine, and Eubank Jr’s weight-making attempts all added to the event’s appeal. Even those who had little to no interest in the bout when it was remade were sucked in by the build-up.
The reveal of Chris Eubank Sr emerging from the car, or the lift doors sliding open to unveil him standing with his son, depending on which broadcast you watched, was cinematic. It received a huge roar from the crowd when shown on the jumbo screens inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The sons walking out to their fathers’ music before fading into their own familiar tunes, Eubank Sr shadow boxing – it was perfection.
Dumb luck prevailed, and the weight restrictions placed on Eubank Jr, 35-3 (25 KOs), meant the fight was beautifully balanced, as opposed to the blowout many expected. Junior was physically drained enough to compensate for the limitations of Benn, 23-1 (14 KOs).
The fight itself exceeded all expectations. It was brutal; the action ebbed and flowed, and both showed heart and guts.
Many were sceptical about the supposed grudge-match aspect, as their fathers had settled their differences many years before, and the personal angle that ‘Next Gen’ wanted to punish ‘The Destroyer’ for testing positive for clomifene did not ring true. It’s worth remembering that Eubank Jr still wanted to go ahead with the fight after Benn had tested positive when the bout was originally scheduled for October 2022.
Whatever the motivation, each man displayed a phenomenal will to win. Eubank Jr was repeatedly hurt, Benn was exhausted, but both pushed through the pain barrier and left it all in the ring, determined not to lose.
Benn reached a level we had not previously seen from him. After struggling in the early stages, Eubank Jr ripped up the game plan and reverted to the output machine he was circa the Dmitry Chudinov bout.
Even the post-fight press conference was better than expected. Given the spotlight as Eubank Jr received medical attention, Benn showed humility and class.
From start to finish, the whole event was near-perfect.
There’s no way the rematch can equal the lofty standards their initial meeting set. Any animosity in the lead-up will feel false. After those 12 rounds, they gained each other’s respect. If that reverence bleeds into the press conferences, the magic will be gone.
If the second fight is again made at the 160lbs limit, with a 10lbs rehydration clause, the restrictions will take a greater toll on Eubank Jr. Making weight was a monumental struggle last time for the 35-year-old – it’ll be worse the second time around. Yet, any alterations to those limits will give him a sizeable physical advantage, and the bout could become one-sided.
The rationale behind the rematch is obvious: the first encounter captured the imagination of the general public in a way boxing so rarely does these days, and it will clearly bolster the bank balances of all involved.
However, in the twilight of his career, it feels like Eubank Jr’s legacy would be better served by chasing a legitimate world title, which has eluded him to date. If he is to subject himself to the rigours of boiling down to the middleweight limit, surely the prospect of doing so to challenge WBA ruler Erislandy Lara must be tempting?
While the end is in sight for ‘Next Gen’, Benn is entering his prime at 28, yet he has still to register a signature win and only holds regional sanctioning body belts. Sustaining more damage against a naturally bigger man cannot be the best course of action for his progression – win, lose, or draw.
Like every Hollywood sequel, it’s a cash grab. An attempt to capitalise on the success of the first, but doomed to offer diminishing returns.
