Conor Benn gives damning Chris Eubank Jr rematch verdict amid fight delay
Conor Benn is ready to step back into the ring, even if his next fight is not a rematch with long-time rival Chris Eubank Jr.
The duo had a heated encounter in April after years of trading barbs online. Both fighters put on a 'Fight of the Year' performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London, with Eubank Jr going on to hand Benn his first professional defeat.
It appeared likely that the pair would face off again immediately on September 20. However, Eubank Jr recently disclosed his preference for the rematch to occur in November. After the September clash was postponed, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn pointed the finger at Eubank Jr for withdrawing from the scheduled date.
Despite being accused of backing out, Eubank Jr maintains he needs more time to train for the rematch, confirming his plans to Turki Alalshikh. Yet, Benn is not inclined to wait and is even prepared to progress his career as he aims to secure a world championship at 147lb, reports All Out Fighting.
Speaking at BoxFest, when asked about his thoughts on Riyadh Season pulling out of the sequel, Benn responded: "Who's next? Get me that WBC world title. Get me any world title. Give me Rolly (Romero), give me Ryan Garcia, give me Devin Haney, give me Shakur Stevenson.
"So I'll see. See you later Eubank, I want to get back down to 147lb and win those world titles. But most of all, give you guys (the fans) the fights that you guys want. That is what I want to do." He added: "I want to be active. I am willing to go again. Just give me the date. Let me go. Whoever it is. Genuinely, I do not care who it is. I am ready for any of them."
It is fair to say the initial clash surpassed all predictions, with Benn himself taking pride in being part of boxing history in north London. "I loved every minute of it. For me, it was... it lived up to what we said we were going to do. For me, it was my moment to show 'if you want to go, we can have it,'" he said.
The lead-up to the explosive encounter was overshadowed by drama. Eubank Jr shocked the boxing world when he smacked Benn across the face with an egg during their initial confrontation. He was subsequently hit with a £100,000 penalty for the Manchester incident. When questioned about the dramatics, Benn acknowledges his opponent rattled him and reveals he will never be mates with 'Next Gen'.
"He got under my skin for sure. But I think he has that ability to get under anyone's skin," he said. "Did I like him before the fight? No. Did I like him after the fight? No. Do I like him now? No. And I probably never will. But, it takes two to tango, so I respect Chris for bringing that out of me."
Benn was later asked if he believes his rematch with Eubank Jr will be the next fight, and the 'Destroyer' opened up about the difficulties in negotiating with Eubank Jr's team. "I was ready for September 20th," he disclosed. "I was back in the gym the Monday after the fight. So, we were both told it would be September 20th and it has been a miscommunication on their part as to why now it is not September 20th. If anyone can make the fight happen, if you guys want the fight, Turki Alalshikh will make it happen because he (Eubank Jr) and his team were difficult to deal with."
When is Conor Benn's next fight?
As previously mentioned, Benn was scheduled to face Eubank Jr for a second time in September. However, due to the delay, it remains uncertain whether the immediate rematch will occur despite agreeing to two fights at middleweight.
Benn insists he does not want to wait for his rival and will move on from the clash to return to welterweight and aim for a world title. He stated: ''I'm not waiting. I'm not waiting around. I feel like my career has sort of been on hold to give the fans this fight, and I'm glad that the fight delivered, but now I've got to just tick the box off on my personal goals, which is winning a WBC world title. It's either [moving back down to] 147lbs for me or the rematch. I'm ready to honour my side of the agreement, which was a two-fight deal [at middleweight] and it's safe to say he's scared. He almost lost. It could have gone either way. To a welterweight."
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