Conor Benn beats Chris Eubank Jr in ‘masterclass’ to get revenge over bitter rival
Conor Benn defeated Chris Eubank Jr with a dominant and disciplined display against his bitter rival to gain revenge in their rematch.
In their first fight in April, Eubank Jr defeated Benn on points by unanimous decision, with their fathers Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn, who had an incredible rivalry in the 1990s, watching at ringside. And the British pair returned to the venue of that showdown, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, to do it again on Saturday evening, with ‘The Destroyer’ Benn, 29, hoping to avenge the first loss of his career, which he did in spectacular fashion.
Eubank Jr, 36, had shocked fans at the first fight when his dad, who he was seemingly estranged from and even went as far as to say he wanted his son’s boxing licence revoked ahead of the bout, made a surprise appearance by his side. This time around another shock appearance saw ‘Next Gen’ walk to the ring in a huge white fur coat with American rapper 50 Cent singing Many Men, sending the stadium wild.
Benn, from Greenwich, London, whose entrance to the Fugees’ Ready or Not and Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight was overshadowed to say the least, started brightly in the first round. He landed a nice short right over the top of Eubank Jr’s guard, but the Brighton man later responded with a strong jab.
The second round featured some grappling, as Benn missed with a one-two, before tumbling to the canvas. The referee warned them over this wrestling and when they got back to boxing, Benn unleashed body shots. Eubank Jr appeared to be struggling to find his rhythm, before taking a right hand at the bell.
(Image: PA)
Benn was landing more shots, with his precision causing his rival problems. Yet the third round was a closer affair, as Eubank Jr clipped Benn with a left hook, before Benn hauled him down to the canvas in a clinch. However, the first three rounds all appeared to be his.
The fourth round saw yet more grappling, with the referee again intervening. Benn grinned at his foe after one exchange when a strike hit him low, before later landing a right hand, while evading whatever Eubank Jr could throw back in his direction.
With Hollywood stars including Pierce Brosnan and Jason Statham, and singer Rod Stewart watching on in the front row, the fifth round continued in much of the same vein. Eubank Jr was the one grinning towards the end of the round, but it was difficult to see what he had to smile about at that stage, having absorbed more punishment from Benn’s jab.
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The Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn rematch is set for Saturday, November 15, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Fans can order the fight on DAZN PPV for £24.99 or watch it free with a DAZN Ultimate plan.
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A lacklustre Eubank Jr again fell to his knees in the sixth, having been pushed over, before a right hand landed from Benn. Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew, speaking in the break, speculated whether Eubank Jr was saving himself for the later rounds, adding: “He is being completely outboxed by Conor Benn.”
Meanwhile, Steve Bunce, for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “Eubank looks like he has ran out of ideas. The crowd is confused and doesn’t know what’s going on, but I know what’s going on… Benn is boxing his ears off!”
As the seventh round drew to a close, Benn landed a one-two flush, turning Eubank Jr’s head away and sparking an angry reaction from the older fighter, as Benn taunted him back.
(Image: PA)
In the eighth, a flurry of punches saw Eubank Jr lose his mouth guard, with the fight also seemingly getting away from him. But he finally woke up after the referee had halted the fight to warn both men about clinching, firing back with a right cross.
Eubank Jr tried to assert himself in the ninth, as Benn’s corner yelled at their man to push him back as his rival attempted to take control of the middle of the ring. Eubank swung wildly as the round came to an end, trying to summon the power with which he excelled in their first encounter.
But it had been the nine best rounds of Benn’s career and in the 10th he showed more good work with a jab to the body followed by a hook. Eubank Jr appeared to be starting to wilt and when the camera cut to Nigel Benn at ringside, he was all smiles.
(Image: PA)
Benn delivered yet more body shots in the 11th, all the while deploying his jab to good effect, and the crowd cheered at the end of the round when he grabbed and threw his rival to the canvas. The bigger man seemed totally powerless to make his size advantage count.
Entering the final round, Eubank Jr looked desperate, while Benn comfortable. And Benn floored him twice in a sensational finale. First he landed two big blows with his right hand as fans sensed a knockout, but Eubank Jr after falling backwards and crashing down just managed to continue.
Yet when the action resumed Benn went for the kill, throwing wild hooks, and hammered him down to the canvas with a right for the second time. Eubank Jr was saved by the bell but there was no doubt about the outcome, as the DAZN team hailed Benn’s “masterclass”.
Benn was awarded the fight by unanimous decision with the scorecards 119-107, 116-110 and 118-108. One judge scored it by 12 rounds to Benn, one gave it to him by six… but however you scored it, it was a battering.
