Everywhere you have turned this week, it has been Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn.
It’s been explosive and two wild press conferences have everyone hyped for when they meet in the ring on 26 April.
I know both fighters and I know both are keen to sell a fight, put it that way. If it was me on the receiving end of the egg, I would be fuming and no doubts the PPV numbers will go through the roof off that alone.
Benn and Eubank grew up on cucumber sandwiches – but the hate is real
Some have been saying it went a bit too far, that a line was maybe crossed. I don’t think that’s the case. Maybe the world has gone a bit soft.
We are talking about a welterweight and a middleweight. Speaking as a heavyweight, they are hardly going to shake the universe. Get a couple of the big security lads around them and they won’t get near each other.
They are dangerous fighters of course but it’s not like we are dealing with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury who tower above everybody else with the heavy artillery. They are two guys who have grown up in relative luxury. These boys grew up on cucumber sandwiches. There’s not going to be any drama in the car park. Let them crack on!
The puppet masters at the top of the table, the ones reaping the financial rewards alongside the fighters, they might be saying on cameras “oh this is a step too far”. But they are secretly patting Chris Eubank Jr on the back and saying, “well done son”.
Eddie Hearn is doing what any good promoter would do. I hope the fight delivers because they are two good fighters. We aren’t talking about Bivol and Beterbiev, we won’t see quality anywhere near that on display but hopefully we see enough violence. I would be very disappointed if it doesn’t deliver.
While everyone involved has been doing their job of selling the fight, I do think the hate is real. You feel it. The added layer of the history between their dads is a factor too. I like both of them. But I understand if you’re one of Eubank Jr’s opponents you wouldn’t be able to stand him. And for Conor, if he wasn’t in boxing he’d probably be in Hollywood. He might be up for a Bafta by the end of it all.
Eubank vs Benn fills the void left by Fury vs Joshua
It has been fun but it is sensible to keep them apart from now until fight night. And definitely keep them in different hotels once fight week arrives. It has happened to me many times, you end up in the lift with your opponent or they are eating breakfast just across from you.
There is a lot of animosity so risking anything would be a bad idea. Put a metal rail or a cage between them like we saw with David Haye and Derek Chisora and it adds to the cinema. All I am interested in is a good fight but the way it’s being built, all that stuff will play its apart.
This fight will bridge the gap and maybe fill the void left by Joshua vs Fury not happening. I am more interested in the technical side of things but it does have everything, the background, the financial backing, the story, the mouth of Hearn and Eubank, the acting skills of Benn, my promoter Ben Shalom whose right in the thick of it stirring the pot as well. So it’s all good.
Bivol vs Beterbiev masterclass
While we didn’t get to see Daniel Dubois in action, last Saturday’s card in Saudi Arabia delivered across the board.
Dmitry Bivol against Artur Beterbiev was the absolutely the best of the best and Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi was a ridiculously good fight to open the show. Buatsi turned in one of the best performances of his career and still came up just short, Smith was just a bit too cute and experienced for him. But Josh has plenty of big fights ahead.
That light-heavyweight division is looking incredible. That fight might be the thing finally triggers all the fights among the British lads we have been dying to see involving Buatsi, Smith, Anthony Yarde and others who are just behind Bivol and Beterbiev
The divisions in this sport go through periods of being absolutely on fire and I do believe the light-heavyweight division is enjoying that now.
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