Saturday night bore witness to a modern-day British boxing classic, as Chris Eubank Jr (35-3, 25KO) and Conor Benn (23-1, 14KO) battled through 12 scintillating rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, writing the latest thrilling chapter in their families’ historic rivalry.
Eubank Jr. ensured the bragging rights stayed on his side, defeating Benn via unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the bout 116-112 — a triumph made even sweeter by the shock appearance of his father, Chris Eubank Sr, marking a heartfelt moment after years of animosity between the two.
The bout stunned the boxing world, with both fighters delivering a performance worthy of rivalling the legendary clashes their fathers shared in the nineties — and sparking an inevitable public outcry for a rematch between the born rivals.
But sometimes, less is more, and there’s a strong argument that a rematch isn’t needed — allowing this historic night in London to stand alone, a remarkable and singular moment for fans of the sweet science to cherish for decades to come.
The inevitable financial lure of a rematch will be difficult for two prizefighters to resist, but both men have much more to chase beyond what would undoubtedly be a lucrative second showdown.
Final Roll Of The Dice For Chris Eubank Jr To Win Major World Title
Eubank Jr., alongside his father, secured family bragging rights on Saturday night, but had to endure a gruelling and potentially dangerous weight cut to make the 160lb limit on the morning of the bout — a sacrifice that ultimately cost him £375,000.
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