Genuine bad blood, or hype and nothing much more? The upcoming DAZN PPV fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Junior – do these two really hate each other? According to Benn, the hate is indeed real. Benn, speaking with Sky Sports, said of Eubank that he “hates what he stands for,” and Benn said “I hate who he is as a man.”
Eubank hasn’t used the word hate, but he is clearly a different person to Benn, a different personality. It will all be settled in the ring on Saturday night, at least we hope it will all be settled, with a clear and accepted winner, no controversy. Benn has also said that after the fight has ended, there is “no way” he will shake Eubank’s hand, this after he “knocks him out.”
Benn is confident he will stop Eubank, and he has said that although there will come a time in his career when he himself does lose a fight, it will not in any way be against Eubank. The thought of losing to Eubank, Benn says, gets him up at 5AM to go and do his running and then hit the gym.
In terms of motivation, both men are as up for this fight as can be. Both men want the win badly, with Eubank, 34-3(25) also saying that defeat in this particular fight would be devastating for him and that it must not and will not be allowed to happen.
In a cryptic message, Benn, 23-0(14) has also said that he wants to retire Eubank from the sport “for reasons that aren’t public.”
“Personal reasons,” Benn continued, “Between me and Chris that he’s fully aware of as to why I really dislike him.”
Perhaps Benn will reveal what these unpublicised reasons for disliking Eubank are, and what his real desire for pushing him out of the sport is after the fight. That’s if Benn wins, of course. It could be that Benn suffers the heartache of losing to Eubank on Saturday, though.
That’s my pick, for what it’s worth: Benn and his fans and supporters will be upset, this as Eubank will get the points decision win. And as for a handshake between the two, no, it won’t happen!
Benn, if he does get the win, says he will drop back down to 147 pounds afterwards, and then go for a world title there, possibly against Mario Barrios. As for Eubank, if he wins, he will no doubt call out Canelo Alvarez. But will Saturday’s loser have to think long and hard about retiring? Maybe.
