Chris Eubank Jr is set to face fellow British boxer Conor Benn in a rematch scheduled for September 20 in London.
Similar to their initial bout in April at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which Eubank Jr won by unanimous decision, this rematch will also take place at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds, including a 10-pound rehydration clause.
The exact venue for the rematch hasn`t been confirmed yet, but Tottenham Hotspur Stadium or Wembley Stadium are considered likely options. However, Tottenham is currently scheduled to play Brighton at the AMEX Stadium on September 20th, which might impact the venue choice.
Reacting to the announcement, Benn tweeted: “Ready to fight now! September 20th can`t come soon enough.”
Their exciting first encounter, scored 116-112 for Eubank Jr, brought back memories of the intense rivalry between their fathers. It occurred 35 years after the first fight between Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn.
However, the period leading up to their bout was marked by controversy.
Eubank Jr was fined £100,000 after an incident where he slapped Benn with an egg during a heated pre-fight press conference.
This action was seemingly a reference to findings from an independent report suggesting Benn`s failed drug test, which led to the postponement of their originally scheduled fight in October 2022, might have resulted from a `highly elevated consumption` of eggs. Benn maintained his innocence regarding intentional doping, and his suspension was lifted following clearance by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP).
Eubank Jr faced another fine of £375,000 for missing the 160lb weight limit at the official weigh-in, although he was successfully within the 170lbs rehydration limit on fight morning.
The 35-year-old has also been summoned by the British Boxing Board of Control to explain his use of a sauna for weight cutting, a practice that is prohibited.
Chris Eubank Sr had stated that his son, who typically competes at 175lbs, was dangerously dehydrated for the first fight and was expected to miss it. However, in a dramatic late moment, he appeared ringside with his son on fight night.
Before their first encounter, Benn had never competed above the super-welterweight division (154lbs).
Hearn Predicts Even Better Second Fight
Eddie Hearn, Benn`s promoter, spoke to The Ring magazine, stating:
Spurs [Tottenham Hotspur Stadium] is contracted – it`s a fantastic stadium and worked extremely well the first time. Obviously, it was sold out, and this fight is even bigger, so you could potentially consider Wembley to increase capacity, but that ultimate decision will rest with His Excellency and Ring Magazine. I just think the second fight will be even better. They aren`t going to change. They`ll come out from the first bell and just pick up where they left off, like the 13th round. And when you see a fight like that, for me, the immediate step is to stage the rematch. The plan was always for this to be two fights, but sometimes a bout can be one-sided or finish quickly, reducing the demand for a rematch. However, in this case, especially now that Conor has had more activity, which was somewhat missing before the first fight, we feel very confident about our chances. We acknowledge the weight is a disadvantage, and that was slightly evident in the first fight, but fans should simply anticipate a continuation of the intensity seen in the 12th round – it will be another fierce, back-and-forth battle.
Murray Blackwood