Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn are set to face off in a middleweight bout on April 25, 2025, in the UK. The fight comes after a long delay and plenty of controversy.
The match was originally scheduled for October 2022 but got canceled when Benn tested positive for a banned substance. Now, almost three years later, they're ready to continue the rivalry their fathers started in the 1990s.
But there's trouble brewing even before the first punch. At the weigh-in, Eubank Jr. came in just a hair over the 160-pound limit. That slip-up cost him a whopping $500,000 fine. On top of that, he's got to stick to a 10-pound rehydration limit on the morning of the fight.
Eubank, who's 35 now, seemed to struggle hard to make weight. He ended up at 169.4 pounds, which has got people worried. Benn, on the other hand, weighed in at 156.4 pounds. He's moving up two weight classes from welterweight for this fight.
Josh Taylor, the first British boxer to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era, didn't hold back his thoughts on the situation. He took to social media to voice his concerns:
"I think it should be called off. Eubank looked terrible & he has a rehydration clause chucked in there on top of that aswell. I think this is potentially a very disastrous night for boxing waiting to happen. I desperately hope this is not the case"
Taylor's not alone in his worries. Many fans have expressed concern after seeing photos of Eubank's weight cut and hearing about the rehydration clause.
For Benn, this fight marks a return to UK boxing after he was recently allowed to fight in the country again. Eubank, who's been fighting at middleweight since 2019, has done his best work at super-middleweight (168 pounds) in the past.
As the clock ticks down to fight night, Eubank's main job now is to rehydrate safely and effectively before the main event. It's a risky situation, and all eyes will be on both fighters as they step into the ring.
