Conor Benn in talks for February fight with Chris Eubank Jr: ‘I feel excited, vicious, motivated’

Conor Benn is in talks for a fight with Chris Eubank Jr at middleweight in early 2025.

Benn was originally scheduled to box Eubank Jr in 2022, but the results of two drug tests saw that bout cancelled the week it was meant to take place.

However earlier this month the independent National Anti-Doping Panel lifted Benn’s provisional suspension, saying it was “not comfortably satisfied” that UKAD had proved the 28-year-old had committed a doping offence.

The British Boxing Board of Control is currently considering reinstating his boxing licence and Benn is looking forward to competing again in the UK.

His target is a February showdown with Chris Eubank Jr, the son of his father, Nigel Benn’s great rival Chris Eubank.

“I believe negotiations have started. It’s been very turbulent in terms of me going through what I was going through, in terms of the legal case. But now that that’s cleared, negotiations are on the way,” Benn told Sky Sports.

“In my opinion it’s one of the biggest British domestic fights in history. I don’t think two fathers and two sons have ever fought [like this]. It’s about history. It’s about legacy.

“It’s the fight the public want. It’s been two years and I don’t think I’ve slipped from people’s minds for good or bad over the past two years.”

Benn’s terms

Benn is willing to concede on the weight, he says it can take place at 160lbs. He’ll give Eubank Jr rights normally reserved for the ‘A-side’, like ring-walking second and billing the fight as Eubank-Benn.

“Just give me an 18-foot ring,” he said and, he added: “No three-knockdown rule.”

He will go for a knockout then.

“The fight will be at 160lbs,” he said. “You can have the ring walk second, you can have Eubank-Benn, you can have the home corner, I’m not petty about all that. You can have that. I’m no Prima donna.

But he added: “No three knockdown rule, 18 foot ring… Give me all of that.”

Talks ongoing

Benn’s trainer Tony Sims said talks are “ongoing at the moment”.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be the Eubank fight,” Sims told Sky Sports. “If the fight does get made, he’ll go straight into that.

“He was going to fight him two years ago and he wasn’t as filled out as he is now so he’s probably more ready now than he was then.

“Eubank’s 35 years old. Eubank’s got the advantage in weight obviously but I think Conor’s got the advantage in youth. It’s more of an even playing field than it was two years ago.

“The fathers are opposite personalities to one another,” Sims added. “Maybe Eubank feels aggrieved as [to] what went down, Conor Benn’s really aggrieved with what he [Eubank Jr] has done to him. He’s basically kicked him when he was down on the floor non-stop for two years.

“Now there is a lot, a lot of needle in that fight now.”

February targeted

February of next year is the time being targeted for that fight, though Benn insists he’d be able to box sooner.

“February, God willing. I’m ready to go December,” Benn said. “We’re aiming for February.

“I believed I would be cleared. I didn’t want to be unprepared. I didn’t want to be ‘oh I need six months to get ready.’ I didn’t want to have to lose loads of weight,” he explained. “I wanted to be ready.

“I feel rejuvenated, full of life, excited, vicious, motivated.

“Now that I am cleared, the shackles are off.”

Backup plan

His backup plan would be to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC world championship at 147lbs.

“Hopefully we can make the Barrios fight, if it isn’t Eubank next. Fight Barrios for the WBC world title February, March. I’m just excited to be back,” he said.

“I’m here now. I’ve remained in the gym, I’ve stayed working. I’m excited to give the British public the fights they want. Whether that’s a world title, whether that’s big domestic clashes, I’m a fighter through and through and I’ve proven that in the last two years, how much of a fighter I am.

“I’ve shown more dedication and grit and discipline in the past two years than I have done my whole career.”