CHRIS EUBANK JR and Conor Benn’s generational grudge match has concluded in stunning scenes.
What started hesitantly soon kicked into an all-out bloody war as Eubank Jr won by a unanimous decision.
Despite suffering a huge cut above his right eye, Eubank Jr upped the pressure in the final stages of what was an absolute classic and a rematch has already been eyed for later this year.
Eubank Jr walked down into the ring with his father, Chris Eubank Sr, who had made a shock appearance for the big main event.
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More on Eubank Jr
A little bit more info on Eubank Jr’s hospital trip… he has been taken to North Middlesex Hospital in Edmonton.
It’s not clear if Chris Eubank Sr went with him.
Full results
Here’s how a scintillating night of action unfolded:
Precautionary
Further update on Eubank – his trip to hospital is precautionary rather than anything serious at this point.
The post-fight press conference has also been cancelled so we are not going to hear any more from the fighters tonight.
Eubank Jr taken to hospital
We’re just hearing that Chris Eubank Jr has been taken to hospital.
It’s not clear if that is precautionary, to deal with his cut eye, or something else.
We will provide updates as soon as possible.
Eddie Hearn’s verdict
Conor Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn has called his fighter the “people’s champion” after that defeat.
Alongside a picture of Nigel and Conor Benn hugging, he wrote: “Not even going to talk about the scorecards.
“The people’s champion right there [crying emoji.”
The punch stats are in
The CompuBox stats have dropped and they show that Eubank Jr threw more, landed more and was more accurate with his punching.
Will there be a rematch?
Let’s hope so!
Although nothing was confirmed tonight, most of you will be very pleased to know that there IS a rematch clause in the contract.
SunSport’s Wally Downes Jr offers his verdict
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.
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…
Read the rest here:
Benn wants the rematch
“We knew he was a good fighter. All that talk is fighting talk.
“I feel like I can compete at 160lbs.
“I want the rematch, I’d love to avenge that loss.
“But it’s either the rematch or go and face [WBC and WBA super-lightweight champion] Mario Barrios.”
More from Benn
“I stayed on the ropes a bit too long, he worked harder towards the end.
“I’m going to have to watch it back.”
Conor Benn speaks
“14 months out of the ring. Inactivity must have been a factor.
“I felt it was a close fight. I’m not going to go ‘Yea, I think I won it and all that.’
“It was close, I’ve got to watch it back.”
‘Underestimated him’
Eubank Jr adds: “Everything surprised me. I didn’t know he had what he had in him.
“I underestimated him. I didn’t train for a fight like that.
“He’s never shown it, but then again never have I.”
More from Eubank Jr
“I pushed through. There’s a lot of things that have been going on.
“I’m happy to have this man [Eubank Sr] back with me.”
“Neither was I [sure he’s be in the corner.]
“He needed to be here. It was special.”
Eubank Jr speaks
“I knew I was capable of that, I just needed someone to bring it out of me.
“I didn’t expect him to be the guy to do that.
“I guess the fact our fathers did it years ago.”
The moment he won
Chris Eubank Jr drops to his knees and screams!
Eubank Jr roars, Benn is stunned
Wow!
Wow!
Wow!
That is incredible, Conor Benn looks absolutely gutted, he looks close to tears!
Both Sr and Jr roar as the result comes through. That is a sensational result.
Judges scorecards – Eubank Jr wins!
The scorecards are in and all three score it 116-112 to Chris Eubank Jr!
We go to the judges!
I am not brave enough to give my scorecard on that one, no way I can second guess how the judges might score that fight.
It ebbed and flowed with both fighters having success and struggling at times.
That was absolutely sensational.
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – R12
Here we go – the final round of what has been a brilliant fight!
Huge roar goes out from the crowd and the whole stadium looks to be on their feet.
Oh wow here we go, this is no longer a boxing match, this is a pub brawl!
The pair of them just throw wild shots!
Eubank Jr lands a great shot that wobbles Benn but he manages to evade any further damage, brilliant stuff.
They continue to stand face to face and unlaod on each other.
Ninety seconds of the round to go and dozens of punches are going in from both of them.
Then in the middle of an exchange Eubank Jr throws in a massive left hook that has Benn stumbling!
He SOMEHOW stays on his feet but Eubank Jr smells blood!
Eubank Jr continues to throw but Benn lands another great right to the body before his jaw is spent spinning back the other way from another great Eubank Jr left!
There goes the bell – both corners celebrate – but what a fight!
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – R11
Two rounds to go!
The two resume the position up close and personal and continue to just unload punches on each other.
Eubank Jr lands with a lovely right to the body and then a sharp jab reigns in.
Up close he unloads a nice combo with an uppercut landing but not causing much damage, while a couple of others only catch air.
Both men continue to work off the other’s shoulder and smash each other.
Eubank Jr on top in this round as he shoves Benn into the ropes and refuses to let Benn out – this is great stuff from him, he’s found a bit of energy from somewhere.
It’s then Benn’s turn to unload some good shots to the body and a big right from Benn just has Eubank Jr momentarily stunned.
It’s right at the end of the round though and he can’t follow it up.
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – R10
The ref confirms that the cut comes from a clash of heads rather than a punch – but the damage is still there.
Into the championship rounds and they both again come out throwing bombs.
Benn starts the round with another nice right but Eubank Jr then unloads a nice combo with his rival on the ropes.
Another lovely left hook lands from Eubank Jr but Benn continues to throw big shots.
Eubank Jr is caught and just emerges gingerly from that exchange.
He does respond with another nice left hook but Benn the starts working the body and Eubank Jr is gasping in air – these are painful shots!
Eubank Jr looking really tired again and Benn seems to have found a second wins.
All props to the older man though, he continues to throw shots with venom despite his fuel light clearly starting to flash red.
He finishes the round well but that was Benn’s round for me.
This is so tight – and so good.
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – R9
Oh wow! Benn lands two huge punches to start the round and Eubank Jr looks in a bit of trouble!
Another shot then comes in and Eubank Jr looks in real pain.
But he digs deep to push Benn back onto the ropes and fires in half a dozen punches on the inside.
The pace increases yet again as both fighters are putting everything on the line in this one!
Massive punches coming in from both – the momentum is throwing from one fighter to the other.
But you feel this type of war favours only one man, Conor Benn who is the younger and faster fighter.
Eubank Jr emerges from a clinch with a big cut of his right eye, not clear if that was a punch or a headbutt.
Superb stuff from both though as they continue to throw with supreme violence.
Incredible stuff – that cut is likely to play a big part here!
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – R8
Benn comes out like a rocket and just unloads with massive shots and combos.
Not everything lands but there was a couple of decent shots in there.
Eubank Jr then unloads and is countered, but then the opposite happens as the pair continue to throw and throw.
Eubank Jr continues to have decent success with the long uppercut.
Both fighters have spent a lot of energy in this one as the second half of the round sees the pace really slow down.
They continue to throw and throw – this has very quickly become a WAR now!
Twenty seconds left in the round as both men just throw everything they’ve got at each other.
They are locked on the ropes and look absolutely gassed as the bell goes.
What a brilliant round that was!
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – R7
Scrappy start to the round as the pair are grabbing each other in the clinch and fail to separate when asked.
Victor Loughlin looks like he might have taken a punch there as well and he has a stern word with Eubank Jr.
Eubank Jr then gets a huge cheer for a peach of a straight left he lands on the chin of Benn and then about 20 seconds later he plants his feet and learns another massive combo.
Benn isn’t rocked but they are really good shots that will have impressed the judges.
Benn continues to walk forward though but he’s not really landing too much.
Another decent shot from Eubank Jr lands and Benn is no longer the bouncy, elusive fighter he was at the start of the contest.
He’s still throwing, though, but the better work came from Eubank Jr.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
