British boxing legend Amir Khan has provided an insider take on how the hotly-anticipated grudge match between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr will go down.
The rivals are set to square off at the Tottenham Hostpur Stadium on 26 April, more than three decades after their fathers Chris Sr and Nigel Benn settled their own bitter grudge, and two-and-a-half years after Eubank Jr vs Benn was initially due to take place.
Khan, a former unified super-lightweight world champion, has been keeping tabs on fighter preparations ahead of the headline clash.
And with the belief that Benn is the heavier hitter despite coming up two divisions to fight Eubank Jr, Khan has highlighted one key takeaway from watching “The Destroyer” train that could prove pivotal in the clash.
“Conor Benn will be in safe hands, because Eubank’s not the biggest puncher,” Khan told CoinCasino.com. “He’s very technical, but I think Conor might actually be the bigger puncher in that fight by putting a bit of weight on. So I think it’s very evenly matched, a good fight for both fighters.
“I’d say it’s 60–40 in favour of Eubank just because of the weight, the height, and the size. But listen, anything can happen in boxing. Conor Benn could start fast and could go straight in and knock him out early.
“The way he’s been training – he looks explosive. I’ve been watching his train for the Eubank fight, and he looks really dangerous. I think he’s got that love back again. You need that dancing partner to bring the hunger back, and I think Eubank is that guy.”
Beyond the family ties, Eubank Jr vs Benn has been years in the making, having initially been penned in for October 2022.
However, the fight fell apart on short notice upon the revelation that Benn had returned two adverse drug-test findings, leading him to be banned from boxing in Britain until recently. When the 28-year-old was finally cleared, his match-up with Eubank Jr, 35, was quickly rebooked.
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The build has already been heated, with a press conference in February ending in chaos, as Eubank Jr slapped Benn in the face with an egg. It was a reference to the WBC saying in 2023 that “elevated consumption of eggs” was a “reasonable excuse” for Benn’s adverse drug-test findings. Another press conference, two days later, saw Eubank Jr threaten Nigel Benn, who put his hands around the younger man’s neck in the week’s earlier chaos.
The pair will settle the score in just 10 days at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – but even if Eubank Jr can overcome the challenge posed by Benn, Khan does not see “Next Gen” coming close to beating super-middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez if that fight is made in the near future.
“I think he could make that happen, especially if he beats Benn in good fashion,” Khan added. “But Canelo’s an animal, man. That’s one guy you don’t want to f**k with.
“I’ve been in the ring with him – I know how good he is. He’s a beast. I don’t think Eubank wins that fight, not even close.
“He’s strong as f**k. Just a solid geezer. You don’t want to get hit by him, because he hits so f**king hard.
“The power Canelo has was something else, he literally knocked me out. I didn’t feel it. I only saw it later on TV – it was a clean KO, put me to sleep. That was it. End of story.”
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