British boxer Conor Benn has made a significant admission just days before his highly anticipated rematch with Chris Eubank Jr, declaring this will be his final fight in the middleweight division regardless of the outcome.
The Final Middleweight Showdown
The bitter rivals are set to clash for the second time this Saturday night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, seven months after their initial showdown in north London. Benn, who moved up two weight classes for their first encounter, suffered a points defeat in April - the first loss of his professional career.
Despite being proud of making history in unfamiliar territory back in April, Benn is adamant the sequel with Eubank Jr will mark his last appearance at 160lbs. The 29-year-old revealed he plans to immediately return to his natural welterweight class following Saturday's bout to pursue world title opportunities.
Future Plans and Predictions
Benn didn't hold back when discussing his opponent's future, confidently predicting this fight could send Eubank Jr into retirement. "I think Chris will retire after this fight," Benn told Sky Sports. "He's fighting a welterweight. Just look at the landscape. He isn't going to stay at 160lbs and fight a Janibek [Alimkhanuly] or a [Hamzah] Sheeraz, for half the money. It doesn't make sense."
The fighter outlined his clear career path moving forward: "I'll drop back down to welterweight and carry on pursuing my goals and dreams at 147. This is my final fight at 160. My goal is to win a world title at welterweight. Right now my goal is to get back down to welterweight. I have the best team, nutritionist, a chef to get back down to 147."
Benn already has his sights set on potential future opponents, specifically mentioning WBC champion Mario Barrios. He plans to attend the WBC convention in Thailand immediately after the fight to pursue that opportunity. Other names on his radar include Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero, and Brian Norman.
Mental Preparation and Redemption
In a candid reflection on their first encounter, Benn admitted he wasn't in the right mental state during the April fight. "I was still healing," he told DAZN. "A weak body can carry a strong body but a strong body can't carry a weak mind. I felt 100 per cent; [but] I weren't right... A lot of hatred, a lot of bitterness, a lot of anger, a lot of spite."
The boxer described his emotional state before the first fight: "Waking up in the morning that was what fuelled me. I'd wake up in the morning angry and go to bed angry. I don't feel that way now... I'm an emotional guy."
After seeking help, Benn claims he's in a much better place mentally as he prepares for the rematch. He reflected on his previous condition, stating: "I was a broken man, but my priority was to get back in the ring because that was the place that I found peace." Looking back, he now recognises "I was in no condition to fight" during their first meeting.
Despite all the talk about future plans and title opportunities, Benn insists his complete focus remains on the task at hand this weekend. "If I was scared or not a proper fighting man, would I have given the public this fight? Probably not, no. I'm the one jumping up two weights at the end of the day," he asserted.
The 12-round middleweight rematch takes place on Saturday, November 15 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While official timings haven't been confirmed, the undercard is expected to begin around 5pm UK time, with the main event ringwalks anticipated for approximately 9:50pm. The bout will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view.
