Chris Eubank Jr breaks silence on rematch against Conor Benn amid concerns over the 35-year-old’s brutal weight cut for the first bout

Chris Eubank Jr is set on a rematch against Conor Benn and is ready to ‘rock and roll’, according to his manager Elliott ‘Napper’ Amoakoh. 

The Eubank-Benn grudge match was settled – for the time being – when the former claimed a unanimous decision victory after 12-gruelling rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was a bout that ebbed and flowed, with Eubank Jr ending his opponent’s run of 23 wins three years on from when their rivalry first started.

Talks of a rematch began almost immediately after Eubank Jr’s 116-112 unanimous decision victory was confirmed, with Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Saudi Arabia chief Turki Al-Sheikh remarking on the topic. 

However, the stringent weight requirements – that dominated the pre-match headlines – has raised some doubts over whether Eubank Jr would subscribe to another tough limit.  

The 35-year-old has finally broken his silence of the issue and revealed through his manager that he is keen for a second bout against his compatriot. 

‘Terms TBC because of a few things that I can’t say, but the terms will need to be negotiated,’ Amoakoh told Pro Boxing Fans. ‘Chris has made it very clear to me that this is the fight he wants. 

Chris Eubank Jr is set on a rematch against Conor Benn and is ready to ‘rock and roll’, according to his manager

Eubank Jr claimed a unanimous decision win in the grudge match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

‘This is the fight he wants. He’s ready to rock and roll, do it again. But I’ve only spoke to him on the phone for a few minutes, so we haven’t spoke about the weight, the rehydration and the rest of it … Conor Benn is the fight he wants next, for sure.’

Eubank Jr’s radical weight-cutting tactics – including using a heat suit and sauna – has invited scrutiny. He was handed a £375,000 fine after failing to make the 160lb weight by 0.05lb on Friday. On Saturday he did just about make the 170lb weight before beating Benn in the gutsy 12-round contest.

Eubank Jr had revealed the extraordinary lengths he took to meet the target and his dehydrated appearance at the weigh-in led some to fear that the endeavour could cost him the bout.

He shared videos of himself in a sauna suit, used to increase sweating to shed as much water weight as possible.

Excessive use can lead to extreme dehydration and heat exhaustion, hence Eubank Jr’s gaunt frame and bone-weary appearance.

The boxer was also seen lying down in a sauna body bag, with only his head exposed. The contraption is electrically heated to a set temperature and promotes passive sweating without physical movement, causing even further weight loss.

He turned up late to the weigh-in after trying everything to get down to 160lbs, but it was not enough on the day.

The weigh-in controversy followed repeated public warnings from Chris Eubank Sr, who has been outspoken in his opposition to the fight due to concerns over his son’s health – as well as Benn’s health stepping up in weight.

Eubank Jr missed weight for his middleweight fight against Conor Benn by half an ounce

Conor Benn bolstered his reputation despite the defeat and will no doubt been keen to get his revenge

After the weigh-in debacle, Eubank Jr cut a dominant figure in the ring, landing 152 more punches than his opponent on his way to winning eight rounds.

There appeared to be a moment where he was out on his feet in the 12th round, sticking his head through the ropes, but he rallied back in a demanding last minute.

‘I knew I was capable of that, I just needed someone to bring that out of me. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t expect that he’d be the guy to do that,’ he said in the aftermath.

‘But the fact that our fathers did what they did all those years ago, it brings about a different soul and spirit into you, and that’s what we showed tonight.’

However, Eubank Jr was taken to hospital by ambulance for precautionary checks. His post-fight press conference was cancelled and he also suffered a cut above his right eye after a clash of heads in the ninth round.

Benn claimed that he had broken his opponent’s jaw, however this has not been confirmed.

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