Thirty-five years ago, British boxing witnessed the birth of one of its most legendary rivalries when Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank faced each other in a brutal contest that would define an era. Their first fight on 18 November 1990 in Birmingham captivated the nation and heralded a golden period for the sport.
The Fight That Changed Everything
The atmosphere was electric as Eubank, dismissed by many as a dandy, prepared to face knockout merchant Benn. Eubank had proclaimed that "boxing is barbaric" while Benn simply stated: "I hate Eubank. I'll give him a hiding." The tension escalated when Benn's manager cut off Eubank's entrance music, prompting Eubank to vault into the ring in silent fury.
What followed was savage warfare. Benn suffered a swollen, blinded left eye while Eubank swallowed so much blood from a badly cut tongue that he nearly choked. In the ninth round, Eubank unleashed a barrage that forced the referee to rescue a wilting Benn against the ropes. The victory was emotional for Eubank, who cried in the ring while proposing to his girlfriend Karron, the mother of his son Chris Jr.
A New Generation Continues the Feud
Now, in a very different boxing landscape, their sons continue the family rivalry. Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn operate in an era where boxing has been pushed to the margins, dominated by Saudi Arabian control and DAZN pay-per-views. Theirs is a manufactured rivalry born from financial appeal rather than natural competition.
The path to their first fight was shadowed by controversy. Two positive drug tests for clomifene and dangerous rehydration clauses delayed their initial meeting for two and a half years. When they finally fought seven months ago, Eubank Jr won decisively but spent two nights in hospital due to severe dehydration, losing £375,000 to Benn for missing the first weight cut.
Boxing's Changing Landscape
The contrast between the fathers' era and the sons' could not be more stark. Where Benn and Eubank Sr fought on terrestrial television before millions of captivated viewers, their sons compete in an age of doping allegations and poor matchmaking. The golden era that included Michael Watson, Lennox Lewis and Naseem Hamed has given way to what many consider boxing's grim times.
As the families prepare for their fourth encounter this Saturday, the question remains whether this marks the end of an overhyped feud. The Benn and Eubank names remain inextricably linked, but the sport they represent has transformed beyond recognition. What began as a fierce, genuine rivalry between two extraordinary athletes has become a carefully engineered spectacle in a sport struggling to maintain its soul.
