Promoter Eddie Hearn scolded Chris Eubank Jr. for his unprofessionalism for missing weight today at the weigh-in for his family feud hybrid fight against welterweight Conor Benn this Saturday, April 26th, on DAZN PPV at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Eubank Jr. barely missed weight by coming in just a half ounce over, but that was enough for Hearn to give him a strong tongue-lashing for not doing enough to take the extra weight off today.
Hearn’s fighter, Benn (23-0,14 KOs), is $500,000 richer due to Eubank Jr. (34-3, 25 KOs). However, with both fighters expected to get $10 million for the fight, it won’t trouble Chris Jr. too much losing half a million. He’s still going home with a hefty $9.5 million check and will get another $10 million in the rematch.
Moreover, if Eubank Jr. blows Benn out of the water, as many expect him to do, he’ll be fighting Canelo Alvarez in 2026 in a massive money fight. As such, whatever money Eubank Jr. loses today for his failure to make weight is chicken feed compared to the loot he’s going to get for these three fights if everything goes as planned.
Hearn’s Spin
“The weigh-in today was probably one of the most dramatic weigh-ins I’ve ever been a part of,” said Eddie Hearn to Fight Hub TV, reacting to Chris Eubank Jr. missing weight for his fight against Conor Benn on Saturday. “Chris Eubank missed the championship weight. He’s the IBO champion of the world. ”
Obviously, Hearn is making more of this for promotional purposes. There’s nothing “dramatic” about Eubank Jr. missing weight by a half ounce for a fight against a glorified Misfits-level fighter, who has never beaten anyone with a pulse and never will. Benn is just the son of Nigel Benn and has none of the talent that his father once possessed. He doesn’t even look like Nigel. There’s no resemblance at all, as far as I can tell.
“His last five fights have been 160 lbs,” continued Hearn about Eubank Jr. “He didn’t make it. It’s unprofessional. It’s obviously a very costly mistake for him. He turned up late [for the weigh-in]. During that period when he had a bit of time, he didn’t get the right advice. He sort of messed around on his phone a little bit, whereas really, a little bit of activity probably would have made him make weight.
“You’re showing us what you did to miss weight. You’re not showing us what you did to make weight. Put it this way. If this fight were a big fight at 147 and Conor Benn missed weight, you’d all have ridiculed him. When Eubank did it, ‘Oh, it’s very hard for him.’ It’s hard for everybody. That’s the game.
“Unfortunately, he missed weight, and it doesn’t affect the fight. Conor Benn is significantly wealthier, and on we go,” said Hearn.
