Eubank Jr rival makes Conor Benn rematch prediction - "His balance has gone"

Daily Mirror

26-05-2025

Eubank Jr's former foe has weighed in on how a potential rematch with Benn will play out amid talks of the British boxing stars clashing again later this year
Boxer Liam Smith is backing Chris Eubank Jr to defeat rival Conor Benn for a second time amid talks of a potential rematch.
Eubank Jr and Benn met in London last month and put on a 'Fight of the Year' contender at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. After an epic back-and-forth encounter, Eubank Jr would go on to get his hand raised via unanimous decision. Both men signed contracts for a two-fight deal - and it seems likely a sequel could come sooner than expected.
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Eddie Hearn spoke to Sky Sports about the prospects of the next fight, revealing: "I know September 27, back at Spurs, is a date that he [Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh] has put forward and proposed. We're ready, really. We signed the contract for two fights. Conor's just desperate to run it back. He feels like he's going to improve a lot going into that fight. [It was] his first fight in 14, 15 months, at 160lbs. Look, they provided us with just a night we'll never forget in so many ways. And both fighters deserve so much credit. We'd love to run it back."
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Smith - the last fighter to beat Eubank Jr - has offered his verdict on how the rematch will play out. Reflecting on the first encounter, he told Seconds Out: 'The two of them showed a lot of balls. They were f***ed but still slugged it out and it ended up a good fight.'
Smith insisted that Eubank was hurt by Benn's power during the fight, but also pointed out that 'The Destroyer' felt the impact too. "I think he looked hurt a few times in the fight. I think his balance looked questionable. But I think Conor was hurt a couple of times, he might tell you he wasn't, but I think he was hurt," Smith said. "They were both out on their feet at stages through tiredness. It was a gruelling fight for the two of them. A better fight to watch than I thought it was gonna be."
While some are hesitant about a rematch, Smith is eager to see Eubank and Benn go head-to-head once more. "Yeah I would like to see the rematch. I think if Chris has a fight with Conor it'll end up a good fight [again.] But I think Conor's got even more of a chance next time around, cause like I said I think Chris is one or two fights from being done. His balance has gone a little bit." When pressed for a prediction, Smith leaned towards Eubank: "Probably Chris, size-wise he's too big for him, wasn't he? When he wanted to be I think he was too big for him."
After suffering the first defeat of his professional career against Eubank Jr, Benn is eager to go straight into an immedoate rematch and insists he won the fight by at least a point. "I am ready to train now. I've got the heating on in the gym, I have got my sauna ready for the recovery after," he said on Good Morning Britain.
"As soon as this interview is done, I am straight in the gym. I live for this, it's what I do, it's who I am There is a rematch clause. We will see. We have got plenty of options but obviously we have both agreed to the rematch... It is a bitter one to swallow this. Out of all people, losing to a Eubank. It's hard! Personally I thought I nicked the fight by a round. It could have gone either way... What a great fighter, what a great dancing partner. So credit to Chris for him and his win, but I want that revenge."