Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr. Grudge Match Back in Play
The on-again-off-again grudge match between Conor “The Destroyer” Benn (22-0, 14 KOs) and Chris Eubank Jr. (33-3, 24 KOs) appears to be back in play as word has come down the pike that they will fight on December 23. According to the UK source, The Daily Mail, the fight will likely occur in the Middle East, with Abu Dhabi being the targeted landing spot.
SHARED DRAMA
It’s the culmination of a long saga to make this fight a reality. Benn and Eubank Jr. were to face each other in October 2022. But it was postponed after Benn tested positive for banned substances. As a result of Benn’s positive drug test, the BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) banned Benn from fighting in his home country of England. The BBBofC is still investigating the matter.
Benn went on a public and private campaign to clear his name. In July 2023, he was given clearance by UKAD to fight again. Inactive for the past seventeen months, The Destroyer returned to the ring in September 2023, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Rudolfo Orozco.
Eubank Jr. has had his recent share of ups and downs. He was stopped in four rounds by former junior middleweight champion Liam Smith in January 2023. A rematch occurred in September 2023. Hell-bent on gaining revenge, Eubank Jr. put on one of the best performances of his career as he battered Smith en route to a tenth-round stoppage victory.
ONCE AND FOR ALL
In British boxing circles, a clash between Benn and Eubank Jr. is a big-money event. The bout would make the most sense in England. But given the unsettled matter between Benn and the BBBofC, as it stands right now, it is almost impossible for the matchup to happen on British shores.
Given that reality, the Middle East is the next best destination. That part of the world is becoming one of the epicenters of the sport, as they’re willing to shell out the big bucks to bring fighters over.
Benn and Eubank Jr. have traded plenty of heated words toward each other. The bad blood between the two is real. They finally get to settle their differences in the ring.
