Saturday night's rematch between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr has been criticised as another example of boxing's cynical approach to business, with promoters prioritising profit over sporting merit. The pair first fought in April, a contest that left both men hospitalised due to the severe weight cut and rehydration clause imposed on Eubank Jr, who spent two nights in hospital. Benn was also hospitalised but discharged the same night.
Eubank Jr won the first fight decisively on all three scorecards (116-112), yet the rematch is scheduled despite the fighters operating in different weight classes. Benn is a welterweight, while Eubank Jr is a natural middleweight who has often fought at super-middleweight, meaning they are separated by up to three divisions. At Friday's weigh-in, Eubank Jr came in at 159.1lbs and Benn at 159.3lbs, both comfortably making the 160lbs middleweight limit.
The contest is largely driven by the iconic surnames of the fighters, sons of British boxing legends Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr. Without this family rivalry, the fight would likely not have been made. Promoters are capitalising on the name recognition, as neither fighter would earn as much against opponents in their own weight classes.
Eubank Jr, 36, is the more experienced technician but is diminished by the rehydration clause and his age, which limits his ability to fight at a brisk tempo for three-minute rounds. Benn, 29, is less worn but was criticised for wild slugging in the first fight. He has promised to be more disciplined, but his chances rely on Eubank Jr having declined since April.
The rematch is being sold on the uncertainty of Eubank Jr's condition after the brutal weight cut, with fans asked to pay a £25 pay-per-view fee on top of a Dazn subscription. Critics argue this represents a low point in boxing's shameless hucksterism, using a fighter's health as a marketing tool.
