On 26 April, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will clash in the biggest British fight of the year – and potentially of a generation.
With Tyson Fury ‘retired’, and a dream fight against Anthony Joshua far from a guarantee, Eubank Jr vs Benn has emerged as a crucial contest for British fans.
Eubank Jr, 35, and Benn, 28, will square off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, more than 30 years after their fathers settled their own grudge. Chris Sr vs Nigel Benn was a defining rivalry in British boxing, with Chris Sr beating Nigel in 1990 and the pair drawing in 1993.
Eubank Jr and Conor Benn were in fact due to box one another in 2022, almost 29 years to the day after their fathers’ rematch. However, the bout collapsed on late notice, upon the revelation that Benn had failed two drug tests. The “Destroyer” was subsequently banned from boxing in Britain until recently.
And once he was finally cleared, his fight with Eubank Jr was swiftly reorganised. Everything is different this time, too: while many fans saw this rivalry as contrived in 2022, there is genuine bad blood between Eubank Jr and Benn now.
At a launch press conference on Tuesday, Eubank Jr slapped Benn in the face with an egg, referencing the WBC’s 2023 claim that “elevated consumption of eggs” was a “reasonable explanation” for Benn’s adverse drug-test results. In the chaos on stage, Nigel Benn grabbed Eubank Jr by the neck, and promoter Eddie Hearn shoved rival Ben Shalom.
Thursday’s follow-up press conference was similarly engaging but less explosive, and it took place after Hearn claimed 130,000 fans had simultaneously queued online for pre-sale tickets to the fight.
The general sale begins on Friday (28 February) at 12pm GMT (4am PT / 6am CT / 7am ET). Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster and on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s official website, with prices starting at £50.
Before Eubank Jr vs Benn, which sees the latter move up two divisions to box Eubank Jr at middleweight, there will be numerous undercard bouts. Here is the 26 April fight card in full (subject to change):
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn (middleweight)
Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur (light-heavyweight)
Liam Smith vs Aaron McKenna (middleweight)
Chris Billam-Smith vs Brandon Glanton (cruiserweight)
Viddal Riley vs Cheavon Clarke (cruiserweight)
