35 Years Of Hatred: Eubank Jr v Benn Preview & Prediction

Chris Eubank Jr (1.57) v Conor Benn (2.50)

When: Saturday, April 26, 10:00 PM SAST

In the early 1990s, Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn ignited British boxing when they engaged in two classic battles for the world middleweight and super middleweight titles.

Eubank Sr won the first meeting while the second was scored a draw. As a result, it always seemed like there was unfinished business with the trilogy fight never materializing. Now, decades later, their sons are set to pick off where their fathers left off.

The pair were originally set to meet in 2022, but the bout was called off at the last minute following an adverse finding in Benn’s drug test. Now, at long last, the two will meet in North London in front of some 60,000 fans.

The naturally bigger man who’s operated at middleweight and super middleweight, Eubank Jr has the experience, the better resume on paper and the physical advantages going into this one.

Bell, on the other hand, has operated at welterweight for most of his career and has shown his raw power and aggression in the ring alongside a growing skillset, proving he isn’t just the brawler he once was. However, he is moving up two weight classes to try and take out his rival.

Sporting a record of 34-3 with 25 knockouts, Eubank Jr is easily the more experienced of the two having fought at a much higher level for a longer period of time. Seven years Bell’s senior, the 35-year-old has fought some solid fighters including George Groves, Billy Joe Saunders, James DeGale, Arthur Abraham and most recently, Liam Smith.

After being caught by Smith in their first fight, “Next Generation” got revenge in the rematch, scoring a 10th-round TKO, before capturing the vacant IBO middleweight title by knocking out Kamil Szeremeta last October.

He constantly evolves and is now a much more thoughtful tactical fighter than he was coming up. He’s embraced a counter-punching style with more movement, more patience and more emphasis on drawing opponents in and his defensive stats don’t lie as he’s become a lot harder to hit clean with subtle head movement and footwork that allows him to control the pace of the fight.

He blends his jab, which is now world-class, with subtle faints and explosive shots as his lead hand uses constant swaying motion between a low and mid guard, creating a disruptive rhythm that keeps opponents second-guessing with his intentions.

Against a pressure fighter like Benn, this defensive style is set to be a tactical advantage. Benn usually does want to come forward, jab hard and launch overhand rights, but if Eubank Jr can make him reach, overextend or lunge in recklessly, he’s got the tools to make him pay with clean counters.

Benn is undefeated in his 23-fight career and has 14 wins by knockout. He TKO’d South Africa’s Chris van Heerden before winning his last two bouts, against Rodolfo Orozco and Peter Dobson, by decision.

For all his aggression, the 28-year-old has shown improved feinting, shot selection, head movement and power behind his combinations. If Eubank Jr’s reactions are even half a beat off or if he gets too relaxed with his hands down, Benn has the kind of explosiveness to land something big over the top and change the fight.

That said, Eubank Jr’s range control and slick counters will hold up against Benn’s relentless forward pressure and propel him to a particularly sweet victory.

Prediction: Eubank Jr by decision.
Best Bet: Eubank Jr at 1.53.
Alternative Bet: Eubank Jr by decision at 3.75.