Chris Eubank Jr. says he’s got everything ready on his side to score a KO of Conor Benn on Saturday night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Eubank Jr. (35-3, 25 KOs) looked as shredded as a julienne salad at the ceremonial weigh-in on Friday, coming in at 159.1 lbs compared to Benn’s 159.3 pounds.
Benn (23-1, 14 KOs) has put on size since their first fight on April 26, 2025. For that encounter, Conor weighed 156 1/2 lbs. He wound up losing to Eubank Jr. by 12 12-round unanimous decision by the scores 116-112, 116-112, and 116-112.
Replay of April’s Mauling?
Benn ended up getting royally mauled in that fight. Eubank Jr. was like a tiger, ripping Benn apart in the championship rounds, forcing him into a submissive role by holding him frequently to survive. It was interesting to watch Conor’s demeanor slowly change during the course of the bout.
When Eubank Jr. Forced Benn to Hold to Survive
When Eubank Jr. didn’t wilt like the fodder that Benn had fought at welterweight, he fell apart internally and was forced to hold excessively to keep from being knocked out in the championship rounds. Conor looked like a mentally shattered soldier who could no longer deal with being on the battlefield. He’d lost it upstairs and was getting battered to bits from rounds 10 through 12.
The difference was the speed, punch output, inside fighting ability, and conditioning of Eubank Jr. that resulted in his victory. The additional weight that Benn, 29, has put on for this bout is a knee-jerk reaction to his defeat. He obviously attributes his loss to his lack of size. Did Benn bulk up because he was broken by Eubank Jr.? It’s hard not to see that as the primary force behind Conor gaining weight for this fight. He’s worked out in his head that if he puts on weight, he’ll win.
The reality is that Benn’s defense was primarily a result of his inability to match the nonstop combinations that Eubank Jr. was throwing. There aren’t too many fighters from 147 to 160 that could have stood up to the rain of punches that Chris Jr. threw last April. Is Benn still the same fighter who was forced to hold to survive? If anything, Benn will be more vulnerable than he was in the first fight because the weight he foolishly packed on will be like an anchor, slowly dragging him down into the murky depths where the pressure will crush him on Saturday night. He can’t match Eubank Jr., and whatever chance he had, he blew it by bulking up.
Benn’s Bulk-Up Backfires
As such, Benn made the wrong decision to bulk up for this fight because what he needed was to come in lighter so he could match Eubank Jr. punch for punch.
“I’m just looking forward to getting in there and doing the business and putting on a great show for the fans,” said Conor Benn to DAZN Boxing at the ceremonial weigh-in today. “I’m a welterweight, but for this fight, I want to come in heavy and come in at the weight I am,” said Benn when asked about him coming in heavier than he did in his previous fight.
Benn can only give it his best shot. It’s not likely to work because he hasn’t had enough time to make the massive changes in his game that he would need to defeat Eubank Jr. As Chris Jr. pointed out, he was “born and bred” to be the fighter he is. He’s right. Eubank Jr. is born to be the fighter he is, and it’s not something that can be taught.
“Chris can do what he wants. I’m not concerned about him and what he does. Ultimately, I’m fighting at middleweight. So, I’m coming in at middleweight,” said a defensive-sounding Benn, starting to lose his temper over a simple question.
Eubank Jr.’s “Born and Bred” Confidence
“Everything is on track for a Chris Eubank Jr. KO win,” said Eubank Jr. “I was born and bred to fight. I can’t wait to go out tomorrow and show the world what I’m made of once again. This fight is going to be a fight of the decade contender.”
