Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn exchanged heated words at their opening press conference on Friday ahead of their catchweight fight at London’s O2 Arena on October 8.
The two boxers will go head to head nearly 30 years after their fathers, Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn, fought for a second time in the WBC super-middleweight world title fight at Old Trafford.
Eubank Sr won the first bout with a stoppage in the ninth round, but their second fight resulted in a draw and now their sons will rekindle the rivalry.
Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) is ranked in the top five of the world welterweight rankings with all of the recognised governing bodies, two weight categories below his opponent but was keen to avoid any excuses regarding weight.
Benn prodded at his rival saying: “You suggested the weight to us and we agreed. We simply just applied that you make the weight. That was all.”
Benn added: “When we get in there we do settle the family business, I’m taking care of the family business. Their last fight was a draw and it’s about time someone set the score straight.”
The two boxers will go head-to-head nearly 30 years after their fathers fought for a second time in the WBC super-middleweight world title fight at Old Trafford
Former two-time IBO super-middleweight champion Eubank Jr (32-2, 23 KOs), who secured a points win against Liam Williams in his previous fight in Cardiff, admitted that his chances of winning a world title will be over if he loses to Conor Benn.
Eubankr Jr said: “If I lose to Conor Benn on October 8, I’m finished, finished.
“My goal is to fight for a world title within the next year. I can’t lose to Conor Benn and then say, eh, let me fight for a middleweight world title. It just can’t happen.
“This is a fight that nothing like this has ever happened before, in the history of the sport.
“Two legends who went into a ring 30 years ago and inspired a nation, became superstars and etched their names into not just boxing history, but British history. They did that.
“Seventeen million people watching these guys fight twice and now 30 years later their sons, who have both made themselves in the sport of boxing, are going to get in the ring and then the Eubank-Benn name is going to go to war for a third time.
“Something like this has never happened and I don’t think it ever will happen again, ever. That is why I took this fight.”