Chris Eubank Jr misses weight for Conor Benn fight and gets slapped with six-figure fine
Chris Eubank Jr has been slapped with a bumper $500,000 (£375,000) fine for missing weight for his fight with Conor Benn. The Brighton boxer turned up more than an hour late for the behind-closed-doors weigh-in ahead of his huge showdown with Benn this weekend. Eubank Jr missed weight at Friday’s weigh-in And when he did, he came in over the contracted 160lbs limit twice. According to reports, Eubank Jr was 160.2lbs on his first attempt and 160.05lbs on his second and last attempt, resulting in a six-figure fine, which will go to Benn as per the weight clause inserted in their contract. Benn, meanwhile, came in comfortably below the middleweight limit, tipping the scales at 156.4lbs. “Big fights, we always get big news,” said talkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver in reaction to the dramatic development. “There were rumours circulating yesterday that he was struggling with the weight. “He has missed the weight by the tiniest of margins. He came in at 160.005, half an ounce, that is what we are talking about. “Very unfortunate for Eubank Jr, and how will that affect him on fight night. One thing it does tell us is that he’s struggling to make weight. “Or was it a miscalculation? It was the tiniest of margins.” Eubank Jr admitted he was struggling with the weight-cut and the rehydration clause at the pre-fight press conference on Thursday. He said: “The weight is painful, I’m in pain right now. I’ll be in even more pain tonight and tomorrow morning.” View Tweet: https://twitter.com/FATALFURY_PR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Both men were scheduled to arrive for their weigh-in at 11am. Benn made weight at 11.45am, but Eubank Jr didn’t turn up until 12.10pm – one hour and 10 minutes late. When he did, there was a tense 15-minute wait before assembled media were forced to exit the room as Eubank Jr took to the scales away from the cameras. The bitter rivals will now partake in a ceremonial weigh-in at 6pm tonight with all the bells and whistles. Both fighters will then be weighed in again at their hotels in the early hours of Saturday morning to complete the terms of their rehydration clause. It stipulates that neither man can weigh in more than 170lbs – 10lbs above the 160lbs limit. Eubank is still quids-in – taking home £10million from the purse “He’s going to have to watch what he eats and watch what he drinks for sure. 10lbs is a lot of weight to put on,” added Oliver. “That weigh-in will be again tomorrow morning, he has plenty of time to rehydrate. “It will be a concern for him because they have the rehydration clause, and it is clearly a struggle. “He has made 160lbs now since 2019, but he’s 35 years old, and as you get older, it becomes more of a challenge.” Eubank Jr’s $500,000 (£375,000) fine comes after he had £100,000 deducted for slapping Benn with an egg at their launch press conference in February. It won’t come as too much of a blow for Eubank Jr, though, as ‘Next Gen’ is reportedly set to pocket £10million for the grudge match. Eubank Jr v Benn Live on talkSPORT More than 30 years after their dads fought each other, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn finally meet in the ring. The fight will be LIVE on talkSPORT on Saturday 26 April from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Steve Collins, who beat both Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn, is part of talkSPORT’s team and will join Adam Catterall, Gareth A Davies, Spencer Oliver and John Rawling for commentary on fight night. You can also catch the action on talkBOXING’s YouTube Watchalong.
Chris Eubank Jr has been slapped with a bumper $500,000 (£375,000) fine for missing weight for his fight with Conor Benn.
The Brighton boxer turned up more than an hour late for the behind-closed-doors weigh-in ahead of his huge showdown with Benn this weekend.
And when he did, he came in over the contracted 160lbs limit twice.
According to reports, Eubank Jr was 160.2lbs on his first attempt and 160.05lbs on his second and last attempt, resulting in a six-figure fine, which will go to Benn as per the weight clause inserted in their contract.
Benn, meanwhile, came in comfortably below the middleweight limit, tipping the scales at 156.4lbs.
“Big fights, we always get big news,” said talkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver in reaction to the dramatic development.
“There were rumours circulating yesterday that he was struggling with the weight.
“He has missed the weight by the tiniest of margins. He came in at 160.005, half an ounce, that is what we are talking about.
“Very unfortunate for Eubank Jr, and how will that affect him on fight night. One thing it does tell us is that he’s struggling to make weight.
“Or was it a miscalculation? It was the tiniest of margins.”
Eubank Jr admitted he was struggling with the weight-cut and the rehydration clause at the pre-fight press conference on Thursday.
He said: “The weight is painful, I’m in pain right now. I’ll be in even more pain tonight and tomorrow morning.”
Both men were scheduled to arrive for their weigh-in at 11am.
Benn made weight at 11.45am, but Eubank Jr didn’t turn up until 12.10pm – one hour and 10 minutes late.
When he did, there was a tense 15-minute wait before assembled media were forced to exit the room as Eubank Jr took to the scales away from the cameras.
The bitter rivals will now partake in a ceremonial weigh-in at 6pm tonight with all the bells and whistles.
Both fighters will then be weighed in again at their hotels in the early hours of Saturday morning to complete the terms of their rehydration clause.
It stipulates that neither man can weigh in more than 170lbs – 10lbs above the 160lbs limit.
“He’s going to have to watch what he eats and watch what he drinks for sure. 10lbs is a lot of weight to put on,” added Oliver.
“That weigh-in will be again tomorrow morning, he has plenty of time to rehydrate.
“It will be a concern for him because they have the rehydration clause, and it is clearly a struggle.
“He has made 160lbs now since 2019, but he’s 35 years old, and as you get older, it becomes more of a challenge.”
Eubank Jr’s $500,000 (£375,000) fine comes after he had £100,000 deducted for slapping Benn with an egg at their launch press conference in February.
It won’t come as too much of a blow for Eubank Jr, though, as ‘Next Gen’ is reportedly set to pocket £10million for the grudge match.
Eubank Jr v Benn Live on talkSPORT
More than 30 years after their dads fought each other, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn finally meet in the ring.
The fight will be LIVE on talkSPORT on Saturday 26 April from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Steve Collins, who beat both Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn, is part of talkSPORT’s team and will join Adam Catterall, Gareth A Davies, Spencer Oliver and John Rawling for commentary on fight night.
You can also catch the action on talkBOXING’s YouTube Watchalong.
