The massive crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last night surely went home feeling that the show was worth the price of admission. The main event of the “Fatal Fury” card turned out to be more intense and entertaining than pre-fight expectations suggested, as Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn engaged in a no-holds-barred battle. Eubank deservedly came out on top via a unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 116-112, handing Benn the first professional defeat of his career.
From the moment the two fighters removed their robes, the considerable physical difference between them—already well known—was immediately evident. Even though a rehydration clause had limited his ability to put on additional mass after the weigh-in, Eubank was visibly bigger and more solidly built than Benn. In effect, it was a fight between boxers from two different weight classes.
The first two rounds were fairly even. Aware that he needed to rely on his speed to compensate for the size disadvantage, Benn moved frenetically and tried to catch Eubank with sudden hooks thrown from too far out. However, Eubank didn’t seem to have the necessary sharpness to capitalize and merely controlled the action with his jab.
The first major highlight came from “The Destroyer,” as Benn landed a powerful left hook in the third round that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The 35-year-old from Brighton masked the impact of the punch by smiling sarcastically, but it’s safe to assume a small alarm bell must have gone off in his mind.
For several rounds, Chris Jr—the son of the charismatic and iconic Chris Sr, once known as “Simply the Best”—did not seem willing to use his size advantage. He avoided clinching and preferred to box from a distance, relying almost exclusively on straight punches.
This strategy started paying off from the fifth round, as Benn’s hyperactive movement naturally began to slow, and Eubank’s one-twos began finding their mark more consistently. Though not particularly powerful or damaging, the punches were enough to keep Benn, who appeared increasingly lost and devoid of ideas, at bay.
After seven rounds, it seemed like Eubank had found the right formula to cruise to a wide points win based on pure technical superiority. However, the fight took a different turn. Following a messy eighth round, the pre-fight favorite abandoned his careful approach and opted for wild close-range exchanges.
It’s hard to fully understand why Eubank made such a strategic shift. Perhaps he believed he had softened up his opponent enough to go for a stoppage, or perhaps the physical sacrifices required to make the contracted weight were taking a toll on his legs, forcing him into a more static, brawling style.
What is certain is that the shift in strategy brought Benn back into the fight. Finding Eubank within his reach, Conor showcased his quickness and landed some of the flashiest shots of the night. He managed to take both the ninth and tenth rounds, which were fought at a very high pace.
Just when it seemed that “The Destroyer” might actually threaten the outcome, the energy he had expended battling a heavier man started to show. Eubank’s chaotic but relentless attacks, which had been ineffective before, began to overwhelm him.
Chris dominated the final two rounds, constantly trapping a tired Benn against the ropes and showering him with punches. In the last round, there were moments when it seemed Conor might be on the verge of collapse, but the son of the legendary “Dark Destroyer” gritted his teeth and held on until the final bell.
Personally, I scored the fight a bit closer than the official cards, giving Eubank just a two-point advantage. Still, what matters is that the rightful winner was declared. The match was fairly balanced overall, with both fighters having their moments, but Eubank’s strong finish left no doubt about the outcome.
It was a thrilling spectacle, and thanks to a rematch clause already in place, Eubank and Benn are set to meet again by the end of the year, likely drawing another massive crowd. That said, it’s important to note that despite the intensity and excitement, the overall boxing quality was not that great.
Eubank Jr looks like a shadow of the fighter who once battled some of the best super middleweights in the world: his legs no longer provide the spring needed for his old explosiveness, and his punches often seem devoid of the snap to truly hurt his opponent. Benn, for his part, has great athletic tools but organizes his attacks in a chaotic and inefficient manner, and whenever he slows down, he becomes an easy target for straight shots.
Thus, not only did this fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn fall short in comparison to the legendary clashes their fathers had, but the gap between these two and the current elite fighters is also quite significant. Even without mentioning middleweight king Zhanibek Alimkhanuly, today’s top super welterweights would likely school both men.
Still, technical quality isn’t the only ingredient that makes a boxing match compelling. In this case, beyond the effort, courage, and fighting spirit Eubank and Benn displayed, it was the magic of their surnames that set the entire nation abuzz—a magic amplified last night by the surprise appearance of Chris Eubank Sr. and his emotional embrace in the ring with his old rival Nigel Benn, an iconic moment that surely gave chills to many longtime boxing fans.