25-04-2025
Chris Eubank Jr. Misses Weight For Conor Benn Fight: Fined $500K
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn face off ahead of the Middleweight fight ... More between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn during the Fatal Fury - Press Conference on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by)
The highly-anticipated boxing matchup between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn hit a snag on Friday when Eubank came in heavy on the scale. Despite Eubank's weight miss, the bout scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at Tottenham Hotspur Arena will go on as scheduled. However, Eubank was fined £375,000 ($500,000) for his weight miss.
Eubank weighed 160.2 pounds on his first attempt to hit the middleweight limit of 160 pounds for the fight. On his second try, Eubank was incredibly close to making weight, but he was still over, tipping the scale at 160.05 pounds. Meanwhile, Benn checked in at 156.4 pounds. According to ESPN, the fight will go on as scheduled, but Eubank was fined a hefty amount for his weight-cutting miscalculation.
Eubank is a middleweight, while Benn has spent his career as a welterweight. However, Benn weighed 150.6 for his most recent fight, a February 2024 decision win over Peter Dobson.
The Eubank Jr. vs Benn fight has a rehydration clause in the contract. According to the contract, neither man can weigh more than 170 pounds on fight night.
Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn - Middleweight
Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur - Light heavyweight
Liam Smith vs Aaron McKenna - Middleweight
Chris Billam-Smith vs Brandon Glanton - Cruiserweight
Viddal Riley vs Cheavon Clarke - Cruiserweight
Eubank and Benn had been scheduled to face each other at O2 Arena in London, England in October 2022. However, that matchup was scrapped after Benn's voluntary urine test showed trace amounts of fertility drug Clomiphene, a banned substance that can boost testosterone levels in men.
At the time Benn said, "I was informed [of the first fail] and I thought, 'It's probably a faulty test. I thought, 'We'll get to the bottom of it'. We're still trying to do that. We're making progress.
"But the way it's been blown up has affected me so much. My innocence will be proven. It has to be. I passed all my UKAD (UK Anti-Doping) tests, which people aren't talking about. I've passed all my tests in and out of camp. I've been a professional for seven years and never failed a test.
"I signed up to VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) in February, so it doesn't make any sense. Why would I take something then?
"Trace amounts were found. The tiniest of traces. The only thing I can think of is contamination. I've not taken anything. I never have done, never would. It's not what I stand for, it's not what my team stands for.
"Why would I take the biggest fight of my life, sign up to VADA and then take this substance? If you Google this substance, it stays in your system for months. Do I look like an idiot?"
Benn's suspension for the failed drug test was lifted in November 2022 by the U.K. National Anti-Doping Panel (NAPD).
In February 2023, the WBC wrote, 'The WBC found that: (1) there was no conclusive evidence that Mr. Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of Clomiphene; (2) there were no failures in the procedures related to sample collection, sample analysis, or violations of Mr. Benn's B Sample rights that would justify questioning or invalidating the Adverse Finding; and (3) Mr. Benn's documented and highly-elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection, raised a reasonable explanation for the Adverse Finding.'
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 25: Chris Eubank Jr hits Conor Benn in the face with an egg during ... More the face off at a Press Conference announcing their upcoming fight on February 25, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/).
This is not the first fine, Eubank has picked up in relation to the Benn bout. In late February of this year, Eubank slapped Benn with an egg in his hand when the two faced off after a press conference. The incident cost Eubank about $129,000. The IBO middleweight champion is not sweating the fine.
Eubank posted on social media about the fine: "Worth every penny."
The £100,000 fine was handed down on Tuesday by the British Boxing Board of Control. The BBBOC's statement said, 'Following a hearing before the stewards of the British Boxing Board of Control, Chris Eubank Jr was found to be in breach of regulation 25 (misconduct) for his conduct at the press conference in Manchester for the Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn contest on 26th April 2025. As such, the stewards of the board fined Chris Eubank Jr the sum of £100,000.'
Saturday, April 26
12:00 p.m. ET
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England
DAZN
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 22: Anthony Yarde and Lyndon Arthur face off on stage ahead of their Light ... More Heavyweight fight during the Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn: Fatal Fury - Grand Arrivals event at The Pelligon on April 22, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by)
Anthony Yarde (26-3 with 24 knockouts) and Lyndon Arthur (24-2) have faced off twice before. In their first meeting, which happened in December 2020, Arthur picked up a split-decision win to retain the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title, while handing Yarde his second career defeat. The two ran things back in December 2021. That matchup was not as close, with Yarde beating Arthur by knockout in the fourth round, taking Arthur's title from him, while handing his first career defeat.
Heading into this 2025 matchup, the 33-year-old Yarde is on a three-fight winning streak since losing to WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev in 2023. In his most recent outing, Yade defeated Ralfs Vilcans on points in October 2024. Yarde is ranked No. 5 by the IBF, No. 4 by the WBA, No. 9 by the WBC, and No. 2 by the WBO.
The 33-year-old Arthur was 4-0 following his 2021 loss to Yarde. In his fourth fight of that run, Arthur won the vacant IBO light heavyweight belt. That win earned him a shot at WBA champion Dmitry Bivol. Bivol earned a unanimous decision on that night in December 2023. Arthur bounced back from that defeat with a split decision victory over Liam Cameron in June 2024. Arthur is ranked by the IBF (No. 9) and the WBA (No. 7).
Before the first meeting between these two, Yarde had suffered significant hardship, losing four members of his family, including his father from COVID-19.
After his emphatic bounce-back knockout win, Yarde thought the 'rivalry' between himself and Arthur had been put to rest. But the two meet again on Saturday in a contest that could earn the winner a lucrative matchup in the turbulent light heavyweight division.
We will have more on the Chris Eubank vs. Conor Benn fight card, including event results on fight night.
