After weeks of uncertainty, the highly anticipated Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn rematch is back on.
The two rivals will run back their 2025 Fight of the Year contender when they rematch Nov. 15 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the Turki Alalshikh-owned Ring Magazine announced.
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The rematch was originally announced for Sept. 20, but when Alalshikh made the original announcement, he did so without the agreement of both parties. Although Benn was happy to proceed with the Sept. 20 date, Eubank wasn’t expected to be ready by September and wanted a longer break. The former IBO middleweight champion thus refused to acknowledge the rematch on social media, which resulted in Alalshikh canceling the Sept. 20 date and withdrawing any involvement from their second meeting. The matter was quickly sorted out, though, and Eubank’s relationship with Alalshikh has been reconciled.
Eubank (35-3, 25 KOs) edged Benn (23-1, 14 KOs) in a 12-round middleweight thriller in front of a 67,484-spectator sellout crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this past April. It was a fight for the ages, with the sons of British boxing legends Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr. going toe-to-toe for 36 minutes. Eubank was a deserved winner, but both men left it all in the ring.
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The build-up, which dates back to the pair’s first scheduled fight three years ago, was sensational. From failed drug tests to the notorious egg-slap at the launch press conference to Eubank Sr.’s shock arrival at the venue mere hours before the fight — despite his insistence that he wouldn’t partake in the circus — the hype was built to the maximum, and the fight ultimately delivered on all its promises. It was the perfect storm.
Eubank Jr. missed the 160-pound middleweight limit for the first bout by 0.05 pounds and was thus fined $500,000 for the infraction. Some voiced disapproval of the fight being agreed at 160 pounds with a 10-pound rehydration clause, citing concerns over Eubank’s health. It is unclear at this point whether the rematch will be contested with the same weight stipulations.
The rematch lands just one week before another monster Alalshikh-backed card, which welcomed the addition of the former undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev on Wednesday morning. Beterbiev will take on Deon Nicholson on the undercard of the David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde and Devin Haney vs. Brian Norman Jr. double-header in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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