Negotiations are still in the pipeline for Conor Benn vs. Chris Eubank Jr. as Benn is set to fight in October at the O2 Arena in London. The domestic clash will present one of the biggest fights in British boxing, following their father's history.
However, former cruiserweight world champion and popular Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson believes the clash isn't necessary right now in both men's careers.
In an interview with iFL TV, Nelson said on the potential fight:
"[Chris Eubank] Junior is in touching distance from fighting one of the [big] names out there... That opportunity might be just round the corner. For Conor, you can see which way his career can go."
He added:
"This is like a, is this insulting to say? A gimmick fight. Because a loss to Conor wouldn't really affect his career... A loss to Junior would [affect his career] because Conor is coming up from a smaller weight."
Nelson then suggested that maybe the two fighters will get good money or really believe in their chances of winning to be taking the fight. He said:
"This is like you've got serious business on, then you go to play at the fair for a bit and then come back to serious business. So this is why I'm thinking, this isn't the right time in your career to have those kind of fights.
He added:
But the money might be ridiculous that they might make off it for number one. Number two, both fighters really believe that they can pull it off."
Despite Nelson's pessimism about the potential matchup, many fans are eager to see an announcement in the coming weeks.
However, there are still a lot of legalities to be worked through in the negotiations. Conor Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn has also stated that the fight isn't certain.
Watch Nelson's full interview here:
Johnny Nelson on if it will be harder for Conor Benn to defeat Chris Eubank Jr. at a higher weight
Conor Benn is, of course, a welterweight while Chris Eubank Jr. is a middleweight who has also fought at super-middleweight. This appears to be a stumbling block in the negotiations as there was speculation surrounding a rehydration clause being an issue in the contract.
Following the pedigree, size and experience of Eubank, he will likely enter the clash as the favorite. During the interview with iFL TV, Johnny Nelson was asked if the fight would be harder for Conor Benn, to which he responded:
"I don't think it'll be harder for him. If he can make the weight, he can make the weight. If you can do it, you can do it. I think it'll be harder for him to be as effective at the higher weight than the lower weight, especially with a natually bigger guy but Conor, again, he's not an idiot and neither is Chris. These young men can fight."
Despite being the underdog on paper, 'The Destoyer' will still back his ferocious ability to defeat his British rival. Eubank also isn't known for being a power puncher, unlike Benn, who's defeated his last two opponents via knockout.
Watch Conor Benn doing pad work in training here: