Both men left absolutely everything in the ring during a pulsating 12-round war at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that captivated from the first bell, with round upon round of exciting action and rarely a dull moment between bitter arch-rivals in a contest that was years in the making.
While Benn’s efforts after making the significant jump up two divisions from welterweight to middleweight deserve considerable praise, in the end it was Eubank Jr’s night as he won by unanimous decision with three judges’ scores of 116-112 in his favour.
It was an evening full of emotion for Eubank Jr, who was surprisingly reunited with his father Chris Eubank Sr ahead of the high-profile fight and continuation of a long-running family rivalry that has its origins in Senior’s two massive world title fights with Conor Benn’s dad Nigel in the 1990s.
The inevitable question on everyone’s lips immediately after Eubank Jr’s entertaining victory concerned whether or not there will be a rematch.
Will there be a Eubank vs Benn rematch?
The short answer is almost certainly yes.
While Benn also discussed the possibility of going back down to welterweight to challenge American Mario Barrios for the WBC world title, he also stated his ambition to quickly avenge the first loss of his 24-fight professional career that has stalled in recent years amid his battle to clear his name following two failed voluntary drugs tests that caused his initial bout against Eubank Jr to be cancelled at short notice in October 2022.
“Oi congrats @ChrisEubankJr but this ain’t over,” Benn wrote on X after the fight.
Speaking at his post-fight press conference, he said: “Yeah, I want the revenge man. I want my revenge.
“I think inactivity played a big part. It’s quite hard because obviously the past two-and-a-half years, what had gone on, not fighting back here to then coming home to this, it took me back. It did take me back.
“In a good way and in a bad way. I was sitting there going ‘oh my gosh, this is unbelievable’. And then in the same breath… there were just a lot of new first times for me today, first stadium fight, first time fighting back here in three years, first fight at 160.
“I had Eubank hurt multiple times, three or four times in there noticeably. I just couldn’t get the finish. I’ll make sure for next time that the finish is there.”
Quizzed on his future plans in the ring immediately after the fight, Benn had said: “Listen, we always knew Chris is a good fighter.
“All the fighting talk is fighting talk, he’s a good fighter. I believe I can fight at 160. If we don’t do the rematch, which I’d love to avenge that loss, go back down to welterweight and win the WBC world title.
“It’s either Mario Barrios or the rematch with Eubank. Whichever happens next I’ll be content with.”
Barrios is 29-2-1 and won the vacant interim WBC title at welterweight by outpointing Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas in September 2023, then retaining it against Fabian Maidana and being elevated to full champion status after former undisputed king Terence Crawford’s move up to super-welterweight.
He kept his new belt with a thrilling split-decision draw against Abel Ramos in Texas in November. There have been more rumours recently of a potential bout between Barrios and the legendary Manny Pacquiao next.
A rematch clause was known to exist in the contract between Eubank Jr and Benn, with the latter’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirming in his own press conference after the fight that the terms were already agreed, though he urged caution over his fighter again having to make the sizable jump up to middleweight.
“I think maybe Junior should come down a little bit lower, rather than Conor Benn coming up two weight classes,” Hearn said.
He later added: “I think they served you up one of the greatest fights we’ve ever seen in this country.
Disappointment: Conor Benn suffered the first defeat of his professional career against Chris Eubank Jr
Getty Images
“But for me, the danger was not for Chris Eubank Jr, the danger was for Conor Benn. And that’s why we’ve got to think very carefully about the rematch, because I don’t want to see him in too many fights like that.
“It’s all very well us sitting there and going ‘wow what a fight, let’s do it again’. They are the kind of fights that will shorten a career, and he’s got such a long career ahead of him.
“The terms are already agreed for the rematch to move forward. And it’s the same as the first contract in that respect. I think we got it spot on with the numbers.”