Chris Eubank Jr has warned that the animosity that fuelled his first clash with Conor Benn will not have diminished when they meet again, insisting that the rivalry has only hardened with time rather than faded.
Speaking to Men’s Health UK ahead of the rematch next month, Eubank Jr said: ‘People don’t change overnight…[Benn’s] an emotional guy. He has hate in his heart that’s not all of a sudden just going to disappear, so I imagine we will get that same energy.’
Eubank Jr also posed for several photos with Men’s Health UK. He appeared in a series of striking shots – one wearing an open fur coat with his midriff exposed, another in a sleeveless gilet, and a third styled in a Stone Island jacket.
Eubank Jr’s first meeting with Benn – a fight born out of decades of family rivalry between their fathers, Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn – reignited one of British boxing’s most storied feuds.
The build-up was electric, fuelled by escalating trash talk from both camps, and Benn promising to ‘finish’ Eubank Jr. The tension peaked at the final press conference when Eubank Jr – the naturally bigger man – theatrically cracked an egg on Benn’s head, a nod to Benn’s failed drugs tests.
Inside the ring, Eubank Jr weathered early aggression before imposing his physicality and experience to secure the victory. But the fallout did little to cool tensions between the pair and talk of a rematch began almost immediately.
Chris Eubank Jr (above) has warned that the animosity that fuelled his first clash with Conor Benn will not have diminished when they meet again
Chris Eubank Jr posed for picture with Men’s Health ahead of the rematch with Benn
Eubank Jr (left) and Benn (right) will go toe-to-toe for a second time in November
Now, with the second fight confirmed for November 15 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the bad blood still simmering, the stakes feel higher.
For Eubank Jr, however, the chaos inside the ropes pales in comparison to the ruthless discipline required behind the scenes. Asked whether he ever questions why he still commits to such punishing preparation, he laid bare the mindset required at the elite level.
‘Do I like it? It’s my life. After you do something a certain amount of times, it becomes second nature, even if it’s painful and dangerous…I’ve built up a tolerance so I can thrive in those pressure-cooker moments.
‘Boxing is not a sport you can do if you’re not fully invested. As soon as you fall out of love with the training and the fighting and the preparation; with the food, the weight cut, everything; as soon as you start second-guessing, ‘Why am I doing this?’ you’re never going to make it.’
Looking beyond this rivalry, Eubank Jr’s name continues to be linked with pound-for-pound stars like Canelo Alvarez. Those potential showdowns, he says, are no longer about financial reward but cementing a lasting legacy.
‘I could walk off into the sunset today and I’m set for life, so it’s not about bank any more. Now it’s about leaving behind a legacy I can be proud of. It’s about, ‘How are you going to be remembered, and what are you going to be remembered for?’
‘A fight like that is something that will leave a legacy that I could be proud of. I’m already very proud of the things I’ve done, but that would enhance it. Sharing a ring with the best in the world, that’s an important thing to do, to test yourself. I’ve been testing myself my whole life and that might well be the next test after Conor Benn.’
Still, everything begins with the daily work in the gym – the grind that most fans never see. As he prepares again for Benn, Eubank Jr says it is that unseen dedication that brings true fulfilment.
‘I enjoy great food. I enjoy a great sunset; a nice massage at the end of the day. You don’t really enjoy a seven-mile run at six o’clock in the morning. You don’t enjoy getting punched in the mouth in sparring. That is just your life.
Eubank Jr appeared in a series of striking shots for Men’s Health, one wearing an open fur coat with his midriff exposed, another in a sleeveless gilet, and a third styled in a Stone Island jacket
Eubank Jr claimed he felt the effects of losing the weight during his first showdown with Benn
Eubank Jr failed to hit the 160-pound weight limit despite using a sauna suit to increase sweating
‘It’s who you are, and I’m happy that’s what my life is because it brings so much fulfilment, respect, pride and love from people that don’t even know me; money; all these things come with the life I’ve chosen to live.’
Interestingly, while the first fight saw Benn embrace a fiery persona and Eubank Jr play the role of calm antagonist, public reaction began to shift. Eubank Jr, once booed into arenas, noticed a change in how fans responded to him.
‘There are still people who hate me, think I’m an arsehole or a flash c*nt or whatever you want to call me. But there are a lot of people who understand I’m a genuine human being. I’m a good man. It’s good to see that shift.
‘I think the last fight was the first time I haven’t been booed into an arena in many years, maybe my whole career, so it’s interesting to experience a different dynamic. It’s very rare that people’s minds change about someone, but that’s how it’s been with me.’
The rematch with Benn promises not just another grudge match but another moment under the brightest lights, something Eubank Jr admits he will struggle to walk away from when the time finally comes.
‘I guess I’ll miss the amazing shape you whip your body into. The week of the fight, you look in the mirror and it’s incredible to see the peak physical condition you’re in. Once you retire, you’ll never get to those levels again.
‘You’ll never feel that superhuman again. I’ll miss stepping into the ring and performing in front of millions of people, in front of the screaming crowd, that feeling of Michael Buffer calling your name out and getting your hand raised.’
And while some argue that every trip through the ropes is a gamble, Eubank Jr believes total dedication – the kind he claims Benn will once again struggle to match – is what reduces that risk.
Eubank Jr, right, claims he was ‘unable to function’ for two days after beating Benn, left
Eubank Jr has revealed his hospital stay had been a result of ‘severe dehydration’
‘Some people would say you’re gambling with your health every time you step in the ring, and it’s true. Your health is at risk. But if you’re training, you’re dedicating your life, your mind, your spirit to a certain thing; to boxing.
‘Then, when you get into these rings and you make these weight cuts, then the ‘gamble’ – as they like to say – the percentage of things you’re gambling with, it’s lowered. It becomes minute. It becomes a sure thing.’
The full interview can be read in the new issue of Men’s Health UK, out now
