Chris Eubank Jr instructed to retire after terrifying medical issues as comeback deliberate
Chris Eubank Jr has been urged to retire following health concerns after he posted terrifying pictures of him receiving emergency medical care, with the boxer becoming a father to twin boys and facing weight struggles
Chris Eubank Jr has been urged to retire
Conor Benn has urged long-standing rival Chris Eubank Jr to call time on his career following the latter’s health issues.
Last April, the pair delivered an all-time classic, with Eubank Jr, 36, having his hand raised after the judges’ scorecards. Seven months on, Benn secured his payback after flooring his opponent twice on his way to a points triumph at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London.
In the lead-up to both bouts, Eubank Jr battled to hit the 160lb mark and appeared utterly demoralised throughout the November rematch. Following that clash, the Brit was urged to step away from the sport – calls that grew louder just weeks later when he shared alarming clips of himself receiving emergency medical care.
Building up to his second encounter with Benn, Eubank Jr disclosed that he’s expecting twin boys. Boxing shows no mercy, and time catches up with everyone eventually. That’s precisely why Benn, 29, has encouraged his bitter foe to walk away from the ring for good.
He said: “Do I think he should call it a day? Personally, I think he should sail off into the sunset. It’s always hard to do that with a loss but I think he should call it a day.
“He’s got twin boys, two beautiful twin boys, that have come into this world and sometimes you need to prioritise your health and safety over everything else. But for some reason I’ll be expecting a phone call once he realises 168lbs is not for him. Who’s he going to fight at 168lbs?”.
Amidst growing calls for retirement, boxing promoter Ben Shalom has recently offered an update on Eubank Jr’s medical situation and revealed the British fighter could make his comeback this summer. “He’s had a lot of stuff to do medically to flush out what he’s been dealing with,” he explained.
“Once that’s done, he will be back, probably at 168lb, but there was an underlying issue he had to get rid of. We’re looking forward to him being back in the middle of the year.
“There wasn’t enough time between April and what ended up November, but initially September, to sort out the issue, it was something that required proper medical attention and he didn’t get that. But now he’s getting that sorted. He lives the life and then he can come back in a healthy and safe, safe way.
“But until that’s completely resolved then he won’t again in a ring. But from the procedures and everything that he’s had so far, it’s looking like he’ll make a full recovery.”
He added: “When you offer fighters loads of money to do stupid things, that’s what they do.
“Unfortunately it is. That’s where it takes the regulator to say it shouldn’t be allowed. I regret seeing it, but ultimately the fighters have that choice over their own body and there’s only so much you can do. It won’t happen again. But I wouldn’t want to see it again in boxing to be honest. I think it’s really dangerous and will lead to something pretty bad.”
