Chris Eubank Jr. believes that he must defeat rival Conor Benn in order to honor the legacy of his father. Eubank Jr. and Benn will meet at the O2 Arena in London on DAZN PPV on October 8.
Chris Eubank Jr. said at the press conference:
“That is where it makes it personal. Nigel’s shot at his losses being avenged is Conor beating me, that is the only way he can avenge those losses and redeem himself.. That will help him sleep better at night, I can't let him get those extra hours of sleep, I can't do that to my old man I have to uphold the family name... I have to make sure the Eubank name stays on top of the Benn name.”
Watch the press conference here:
The fight is personal for both fighters due to the rivalry between their fathers - ‘The Dark Destroyer’ and ‘Simply The Best’. Because Nigel Benn did not beat Eubank, Eubank Jr. does not want to let Conor Benn avenge his father's loss.
Whilst Eubank Jr. appears to have some resentment towards Nigel Benn, he was more respectful towards the son, his opponent. The same also seemed true for Conor Benn, who has clashed with Eubank Sr. in the past.
Chris Eubank vs. Nigel Benn was a brutal rivalry
Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank were involved in one of the biggest rivalries in British boxing history. The two middleweight fighters genuinely disliked each other and made no efforts about hiding it. The pair first fought on 18 November 1990, Eubank won the bout via TKO.
Talking about his father, Eubank Jr. said:
"I watched the mental toll it took on him preparing for those fights, I watched the injuries and my mother having to look after him after the fights, him going to hospital...I watched Nigel tell my father on National TV that he hated him. These are all things that I cannot forget and not forgive." [sic]
The rivals fought again on October 9, 1993. Over 42,000 spectators had turned up in person. The fight, whilst not as brutal as the first, was still a hotly competitive fight. The bout was scored a split draw.