Turki Al-Sheikh reports that the long-overdue British domestic-level scrap between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn is “done” for April in London.
£19.99 PPV Price
Al-Sheikh says the day and location of the fight will be announced later. He wants to set the PPV price at 19.99. That price will work for Brits but not Americans, who are not interested in this match. It’s unclear what weight the fight will be at. It’s been rumored to be a catchweight.
It will be interesting to see how well Eubank Jr and Benn can sell this fight, as they were doing a good job of attracting interest three years ago when they were scheduled to fight.
It might sell in the UK if they can turn this into theater. To get non-UK fans interested, Turki will have to pack the undercard with the kind of fights that he’s got on the February 22nd card.
Of course, if he does that, Benn-Eubank Jr. would look out of place in the main event because they’re not seen as talented fighters destined to win world titles. They’re just children of famous British ex-world champions. They’ve carved their living out of that. That’s pretty much their qualifications. It’s a celebrity-type fight. If you’re into that, this is up your alley.
Eubank Jr. vs. Benn is three years too late for many fans, as it was supposed to have happened in 2022. Conor tested positive for a banned substance, wiping out the fight. At the time, many fans were eager to see the battle. Not anymore. Benn’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, still believes the fight is one of the biggest in British boxing. Let’s see if he’s right. I don’t think he is.
The 35-year-old Eubank Jr. (34-3, 25 KOs) is a career underachiever, choosing to fight at the British and European level rather than aim for world-class. He stepped up against George Groves and lost by a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision on February 17, 2018. That was the last time Eubank Jr. fought at the true world level.
