Hearn Unfazed By Eubank Jr.’s Size Advantage: Confident Benn Prepared For Saturday’s DAZN PPV Clash

Promoter Eddie Hearn isn’t concerned about Chris Eubank Jr. likely enjoying a 10+ lb weight advantage over Conor Benn this Saturday night in their middleweight fight, live on DAZN PPV at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)

Hearn says Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) has been sparring bigger fighters in camp, and will be prepared to fight Euank Jr. (34-3, 25 KOs). He didn’t mention who Benn has been sparring with. His fighting style is difficult to mimic, and whatever sparring he’s had might not help.

A Rocky Past

Hearn has been bent out of shape over the egging that Eubank Jr. did last February, believing he could have injured Benn during that episode if he had hit him in the eye.

“Sometimes I feel he’s crossed the line a little bit, but he probably doesn’t give a s***,” said Eddie Hearn to Fight Hub TV when asked if he likes Chris Eubank Jr. “I’ve never said anything derogatory about him. I actually respect him. I respect the way he’s followed in his father’s footsteps, and actually takes part in a tough living.”

Hearn pulled the rug out from under Eubank Jr’s negotiations with Gennadiy Golovkin in 2016, and used Kell Brook for the fight. If you’re Eubank Jr, you couldn’t have had positive feelings about Hearn after that episode. That should have been Chris’ fight. Obviously, Eubank Jr.’s egging of Benn on February 25th angered Hearn, but it ultimately worked out well for the promoter, creating interest where there had been very little previously.

“We’ve never really gotten on. I didn’t dislike him. He’s really not my cup of tea. I’m probably not his cup of tea. We both came from a boxing world where our fathers were very successful. His dad was a fighter, and mine was a promoter. We’re trying to pave our own way. As you get a little older, you can’t be bothered by that anymore. You’re kind of are where you are.”

Hearn shouldn’t worry too much about whether Eubank Jr. and he get on. They’ve likely got one fight left, seeing each other in the Eubank Jr.-Benn rematch. After that, it’s over unless Chris Jr. can keep his career going for a little longer. Given the money he’s going to make from his two fights with Benn and a potential clash against Canelo Alvarez in 2026, he’ll be retiring.

Accepting the Disadvantage

“I wish him the best. I just don’t think he wins on Saturday. Conor will be 10 lbs lighter or a stone lighter inside the ring, but we know that. It’s no surprise. Chris said Conor’s last fight was at 154. He had about four weeks’ notice. That’s why. But we don’t have a problem with the weight. We’re not going, ‘Oh, it’s unfair. He’s bigger than us.’ We know what it is.

“We know what we’ve signed up for to, and he’s been sparring much bigger men than Chris Eubank in the preparation for this fight. So, he’s ready,” said Hearn about Benn.