Chris Eubank Jr spoke about the emotional agony of losing his brother and being estranged from his father during a chaotic press conference on Thursday evening.
Ahead of his showdown with Conor Benn on Saturday night, both men were in bullish form but it was a moment of raw honesty that captured the attention, before a long and intense two-minute face-off at the end.
When asked about the pain of having to cut so much weight, Eubank Jr said: ‘What is pain? I have a brother buried in the desert in Dubai, that’s pain.
‘His son asks why his dad can’t take him to school, that’s pain. My own father doesn’t speak to me and has called me a disgrace, these things are what pain is to me.
‘If I can deal with all that, the weight cut and dehydration are not important.’
Eubank Jr was referring to the death of his brother Sebastian, who suffered a heart attack in the sea in Dubai in 2021.
Chris Eubank Jr (left) faces off with Conor Benn at the Thursday press conference
Eubank Jr refused to allow Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn to speak on the mic
Eubank Jr spoke about the pain of being estranged from his father (right)
He left behind a newborn son, Raheem, who is now three.
Despite the fact that Eubank Jr is continuing his father’s legacy, 30 years after his own fights against Nigel Benn, they have not spoken for years.
Clearly it remains a source of grief for Chris, who was in eloquent form on Thursday evening.
He went on: ‘I know what’s coming, prepared my whole life for these moments, dedicated decades to the sport. No cheating or cutting corners, the mentality I have, fortitude and will is what i’ll be using on the night to take out my adversary, Conor Benn.
‘Conor speaks about pressure but there’s a reason he had training camp in Spain, he knew he couldn’t handle the pressure of walking UK streets, he hid away and now he thinks he can use me to get back into the good graces.
‘I’ve felt the energy on the streets and it’s real, people are invested in this. I think he’s feeling the heat and will feel it a hell of a lot more in a couple of days time. I’m going to be headmaster my friend and you’ll be in detention.
He continued: ‘It is about preparing to get this kid out of boxing. Now I have a duty to boxing, to the public him and Eddie Hearn have lied to people and I’ll erase them.
‘All that matters is what happens when the bell goes, whatever strategy or game plan they have won’t prepare them for the fire coming.
Sebastian Eubank died of a heart attack in Dubai and left behind a young son
Eubank Jr, pictured alongside Ben Shalom, admitted he has more weight to be cut
‘It’s not about strength and speed and age and weight, it’s about dedication, who’s paid their dues and done it clean, who is real and who is fake. All those categories are in my favour.’
Eubank Jr also refused to let Eddie Hearn speak at the press conference in comical scenes.
Hearn was prepared for this, so brought his No 2 Frank Smith on stage in an attempt to placate the fighter, to no avail.
The Matchroom promoters were only allowed to speak when Eubank Jr asked a question to them, according to the headliner.
And he asked Hearn about reigniting their £1million bet on the fight. Hearn then finally managed to speak without being interrupted, saying: ‘If I won’t have any penalties I’ll consider it, get back to the hotel, get the weight off and get ready for an absolute spanking.’
Eubank Jr and Benn stared off for more than two minutes before security pulled them back
Benn was more succinct in his answers but brimming with self belief, insisting there’s no way he loses the grudge match on Saturday.
‘This is what I do, this is every fighter’s dream,’ he said.
‘There’s no more pressure than on a 19-year-old at a packed O2 Arena. No pressure, I live for this, I’ve had the fight 100 times in my head, I’m not going to lower myself to Chris, all that PR is done.
‘Concentrate on getting the weight off, fat boy. It is always personal, I’m an emotional fighter, he is another man, I won’t be losing to a man who’s name is Eubank. I’m coming to take his head off.’
