Chris Eubank Jr. wasted no time turning up the heat during today’s press conference ahead of his highly anticipated rematch with Conor Benn. The showdown, set for November 15 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, promises to be another thrilling chapter following their explosive first encounter in April.
Eubank secured a unanimous decision victory last time, with all three judges scoring the fight 116-112 in his favor. However, the win came at a cost — he spent several days hospitalized, battling severe dehydration after an intense weight cut.
Though Eubank has mostly fought at 160lbs throughout his career, the 35-year-old admits his body is no longer built for the middleweight limit. Nevertheless, he has agreed to face Benn again at middleweight, pledging to stay under a 170lb rehydration limit. Earlier this year, he weighed just over 160lbs on fight week but impressively remained under 170lbs by the second weigh-in.
At today’s media event, Eubank directed sharp criticism at Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn, accusing him of trying to sabotage his access to medical care after their April fight.
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“For my entire life, I’ve been the villain — the bad guy,” Eubank said. “But from what I’m seeing online, maybe I’m not that guy anymore. Conor Benn put on a great fight and surprised me. But if you keep listening to Eddie Hearn, you’ll only embarrass yourself more. These men are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
“They did everything to try and destroy me in that fight. On fight night, my team was blocked from entering the stadium for 30 minutes. I was so dehydrated afterward that one of my toenails fell off. Then they blocked the ambulance I was leaving in for 20 minutes.”
In response, Matchroom promoter Hearn dismissed Eubank’s claims, calling them “the most waffle I’ve ever heard.”
Eubank didn’t stop there, also criticizing Robert Smith, General Secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control.
“The Board has fined me repeatedly over the last six months, but where is that money going? It seems to be lining the pockets of fat cats like Robert Smith, not being invested back into the community.”
With tensions running high, the rematch between Eubank and Benn is shaping up to be as much about drama outside the ring as it will be about the action inside it.
