The Weighting Game: Will Eubank Jr or Benn thrive best in catchweight conditions?
As Oleksandr Usyk danced his way around Anthony Joshua to retain his WBO heavyweight belt in slick style in August, it was a reminder of how the best in the business can seamlessly rise up and down the weights without losing any of their ability.
The Ukrainian weighed 20lb less – as you would expect from a former, smaller cruiserweight – than AJ and gave away several inches in height and reach, but he once again showed that size doesn’t always matter as he confirmed his place amongst the ranks of multi-weight world champions.
Pounds and stones have been the major talking point ahead of the highly-anticipated clash between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, who will reignite the feud that engulfed their respective fathers some 30 years ago.
A catchweight of 157lb has been agreed, although the bookmakers aren’t concerned about the size of the task facing Eubank in making the limit. The latest boxing odds for the October 8 clash make the 32-year-old a 1/2 favourite and the smaller man the 8/5 underdog.
But there are plenty who believe Benn’s supreme work rate and technical ability will stand him in good stead against a potentially drained Eubank Jr, and so many analysts will be happy to hype the chances of the outsider in their boxing predictions.
Eubank – a former IBO super-middleweight champion – will have to significantly trim down to make the 157lb ceiling, while Benn, the classy welterweight operator, will have scope to bulk up from his normal 145lb mark. Ordinarily, that would hand the latter the edge over the former.
It gets no easier to cut weight when you’ve turned 32 years of age, and Eubank Jr has admitted that he may call upon the services of a nutritionist for the first time in his career in a bid to make 157lb without losing any of his trademark power.
And he has admitted that it’s a weight he hasn’t been since he was 18, and the usually bullish fighter has admitted some concern. “Is it a worry? I guess you could say that”, he revealed, before confirming he currently weighs around 171lb just six weeks out from the bout.
Mind you, he didn’t seem that worried when he was tucking into a box of fried chicken while taking in an exhibition bout in London back in August…
Chris Eubank Jr trolling Conor Benn by eating KFC in front of everybody despite having to make 157lbs for their fight in six weeks…
[????️ @ChrisEubankJr] pic.twitter.com/i8Jb3YFc5z
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) August 28, 2022
Benn Happy with a Lighter Load
Of course, it’s not always easy for a smaller guy to load on the pounds and retain his hand and foot speed.
Stepping up in weight doesn’t always work out well, but Benn and his trainer Tony Sims have a strategy to deal with that – the current WBA Continental welterweight champ will head into the Eubank bout weighing a maximum of 155lb, which is more in-line with his traditional fighting mark.
“I think at 155, his speed and his agility will come into play, especially in this fight,” Sims has commented.
It has now been confirmed that both men will have their famous boxing fathers in their respective corners. Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn twice went to war in the 1990s, with both scraps considered to be the fight of the year contenders.
???? #OnThisDay in 1993: Nigel Benn vs. Chris Eubank II is declared a draw at Old Trafford. pic.twitter.com/MSmUH3RBuY
— BOXXER (@boxxer) October 9, 2018
Eubank won the first in a bloody brawl in Birmingham, before the second ended in a draw with both men ahead on one judge’s card and the third scoring it a 114-114 stalemate.
The pair have never truly gotten over the bad blood that existed between them three decades ago, and it will be fascinating to see what impact that will have when their sons meet and extend the Eubank vs Benn lineage this October.