Conor Benn 'never thought' the Chris Eubank Jr fight would happen

While Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn is a fight that the British public have always desired, it's a clash that almost materialised overnight as Benn opens up about when the fantasy became a reality.

The long-standing rivalry between the Eubank and Benn family has always been a fascination for everyone involved in boxing, especially for British fans.

Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn seemingly concluded their boxing differences in the ring on 9th October 1993, with the second contest between the pair ending as a split draw.

The respective trajectories of Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, however, means the rivalry will be revisited on Saturday 26th April at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

While boxing fans have always seen this fight as a matter of when not if, Conor Benn suggested it’s not a fight he ever imagined happening.

When questioned by DAZN on at what point he thought this fight might happen, he responded:

Never. I never thought this fight would happen. I never really thought about it.

Benn further unravelled a series of events that led to the fight becoming a reality, adding: “Funnily enough, the fight only happened because there was five fights that could have materialised.

“I think it was Jose Ramirez, Kell Brook or Amir Khan, and there were a couple of other names mentioned and we wanted these fights to be made.

“The fights wouldn’t materialise. We’ve then gone, ‘alright then, well give us Eubank’, just throwing it out there, ‘well just give us Eubank then.’

“It grew legs very quickly and before you know it the fight was signed.”

Benn later admitted that he wasn’t aware of the severity of the rivalry between his father and Eubank Sr, saying: ”I think it still sits with me now. I still have to sort of like remember, and I watched a documentary that’s just come out about my dad (Nigel Benn) and that era and you sit there and you go, ‘wow, this was massive.'."

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Ellis Statham

• Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn
• Chris Eubank Jr
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