BANK JOB
Chris Eubank Jr sensationally WINS Conor Benn fight as he settles family feud in bloody, brutal battle
Eubank Jr suffered a nasty cut above his eye in the ninth round
CHRIS EUBANK JR ended his three-year war of words with Conor Benn with 36 minutes of frantic violence.
In a 12-round slugfest that left both men exhausted and swinging for the Spurs rafters, the bitter rivalry was brought to a close by a brutal battle.
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Benn was shattered by carrying around an extra 20lbs after moving up from welterweight and Eubank was wrecked after melting off a similar amount in the build-up.
All the skill, technique, game plans and mind games went out of the window and the pair attacked each other as much as they possibly could, from the opening bell until the final second.
Eubank was buzzed and hurt a handful of times but - willed on by the shock last-minute arrival of his dad - he showed incredible grit, heart and chin to stay upright and get his hand raised.
While he battled through with his wounds, he did need to go to hospital with the horror cut above his eye.
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He said in the inmmediate aftermath of the instant classic: “I knew I was capable of that. I just needed someone to bring that out of me. I’m not going to lie, I did not expect that he’d be the guy to do that.
"But the fact that our fathers did what they did all those years ago, it brings out a different soul, a different spirit. That’s what we both showed here tonight.
“I pushed through. There’s a lot of things that have been going on in my life that I’m not going to get into right now, but I’m happy to have (my father) back with me.
"We upheld the family name like we said we were going to do. Onwards and upwards from here.”
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His dad Chris Sr had earlier stunned the entire 65,000 crowd and everyone watching on TV after he emerged alongside his son as they arrIved at the stadium.
Speaking afterwards the proud father, who had vowed to have nothing to do with the fight, said: "He couldn't move around the ring, he had to stand toe-to-toe and that is legendary behaviour in the ring. I am so proud of him.
"Conor Benn is an extraordinary fighter and you saw that tonight. I thought he would go out in four or five rounds but he was strong throughout the fight."
The Eubank vs Benn family rivalry - started by fathers Nigel and Chris Sr, who were both at ringside, is now settled at 2-0 with one draw and does not need a greedy rematch.
Benn and his dad made their ring walk together at 10pm to a muted welcome that seemed to fall flat but when he reached the ring he got boos and whistles.
Eubank emerged to his dad’s trademark Tina Turner ‘Simply the Best’ anthem and it seemed to win the crowd over, after they also jeered his initial intro.
And when he leapt over the top rope - like a chip off the old block - the North London crowd boomed for him.
Before the bell, Benn practised vicious combinations from the crouched orthodox stance his dad was famous for, while Eubank Jr stood in his corner barely moving.
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Right up until the opening bell, Jr was guzzling water after a brutal weight cut the 48 hours before.
Both men missed with wild early shots and then Benn scored with a left hook and right hand.
Chris Eubank Sr arrives wih Jr for Conor Benn in huge show of support despite publicly criticising son
Then a double-jab-right-hand combo landed from the Ilford slugger.
Eubank needed to suck down more water throughout his first break as trainer Johnathon Banks tried to give him instructions.
Eubank’s first eye-catching shot was a second-round jab that was crisp and flush, a left hook also connected but Benn countered with a right hand in another tense early round.
Both Brits were jabbing well by the third and Benn’s right hands were landing. Eubank had to tie up after one stinging effort and tried to trash talk the younger and fresher man.
Both men collapsed on the floor with 30 seconds left but Benn had enough time to bounce up and land another right hand that was proving to be his honey punch.
Eubank started the fourth with a couple of good hooks to head and body and then a textbook uppercut from the Brighton man snapped Benn’s shaved skull back and got the crowd cheering.
But Benn never took a backward step and kept headhunting with rasping combinations, even when they continued swapping insults as well as punches.
Referee Victor Loughlin ordered them to cut out the conversations before the fifth started.
Benn hit the deck and did a backward roll but it was another slip on the heavily advertised canvas.
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Eubank Jr tried a one-two and Benn growled back “what’s that?” as the aggro intensified.
Benn’s frenetic early pace slowed in the sixth and Eubank Jr scored with a bolo uppercut to the body before being warned for rabbit punching to the back of the head.
As soon as the seventh started, the ref dived in to stop a wrestle and Eubank was able to score with a left hook. And he landed a jab-right-hook combo before holding and whispering in Benn’s ear.
Benn started every round explosively and the eighth was no different but it always tapered off. And the volume of punches he missed must have sapped at his energy levels.
Eubank was hurt with a chopping right hand with 30 seconds of the round left.
Benn clipped him and his legs stiffened and he boxed like a drunk, stumbling forward and missing. Benn had forced an opening.
Benn landed another vicious one-two in the ninth and another thudding little right and Eubank was cut around the right eye, following a clash of heads, and trying to blink the blood away.
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Eubank’s early finesse and poise were gone and he was hanging on by a thread of pride and freakish genetic fitness.
Eubank started the 10th like a man who knew he was on a cliff edge in his career.
But Benn buzzed and wobbled him again as he took control of the back end of the bout.
Jr was almost finished with a minute left, he was scythed and slashed and thudded by his nemesis and there was no oxygen for trash talk any more.
Eubank was a shadow of a fighter by the 11th, powerless and surviving on fumes and dangerously vulnerable.
Benn kept slashing away and Eubank and his bruised cheekbone would use clinches to check the clock and see how long he had to last.
Both men were exhausted by the final round and Eubank started with a ridiculously wild left hook that missed by a mile.
Then they slugged it out for a moment but the quality went out the open roof along with their oxygen.
Eubank Jr vs Benn: SunSport's verdict
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS of the Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr rivalry was settled with 36 minutes of violence.
Yet with all the tremendous heart shown by both boxers, there wasn’t much technique, skill or finesse on display here.
After tons of trash talking, egg throwing and mind games that have been played out to the world over the last three years, SunSport's Wally Downes Jr gives his verdict on what should be the final chapter in one of British boxing's biggest beefs.
Read here to find out why the 12-round slugfest should not be repeated - and why the rivalry should now be put to bed.
Eubank went to the well one last time, pinned Benn on the ropes and bashed him up but both men showed their inherited hearts and chins to last it out.
And when the bell went they both walked away in shattered celebrations and all the fathers and sons mixed and mingled and made amends.
When he was asked about Eubank Jr's hospital dash, Benn said he had heard he had suffered a broken jaw in the fight.
He told the post-fight press conference, which his rival was unable to attend: "I wish him well.
"I know he’s gone to the hospital, I have heard he’s got a broken jaw do I wish him a speedy recovery."
A rematch clause was already agreed before the pair's individual £8million paydays.
But Benn, who left behind a welterweight title charge, said: "I believe I can fight at 160.
"But if we don't do the rematch, which I'd love to avenge that loss, go back down to welterweight and win the WBC world title.
"Mario Barrios or the rematch with Eubank, whichever happens next I'll be content with."
Dad Nigel was proud of his son, despite the loss.
He said: "I thought he did really well and he learnt a lot from this.
"He was working too much on the ropes, but that is taking nothing away from Chris - it was his night.
"We can handle defeat gracefully and now we go back to the drawing board."
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Meanwhile Anthony Joshua summed up the mood of many watching the fight.
The former heavyweight champ posted on X: "Watching this fight makes me proud to be British 🥊"
Round by brutal round
CHRIS EUBANK JR secured the family bragging rights in his second generation grudge match against Conor Benn.
With three unanimous 116-112 verdicts, Eubank Jr prevailed in the family feud, with his dad making a return to his corner to watch it.
It lived up to the all hype - EVERY round was bloody, tasty and violent, before the more-experienced Eubank stood strong to come back into it and snatch victory.
Here, SunSport's Jack Figg gives you the ultimate breakdown of a gripping clash between the sons of two British boxing legends.
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