Chris Eubank Jr accepting a rematch with Conor Benn proves he’s only interested in money.
That’s according to talkSPORT Boxing pundit Adam Catterall, who has criticised Eubank Jr for risking his health through a rematch with Benn for a lucrative payday.
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Eubank Jr and Benn will rematch on November 15Credit: Getty
Eubank Jr and Benn came to blows in one of British boxing’s finest spectacles in April.
Over 60,000 fans watched both men go to war over 12 rounds as Eubank Jr claimed a unanimous decision win, 35 years after his father, Chris Eubank, started an iconic rivalry by stopping Nigel Benn in Birmingham.
The build-up to the bout had been full of drama, with Eubank Jr losing $500,000 (around £372,000) one day before his meeting with Benn after missing weight by half an ounce.
‘Next Gen’ had faced some challenging cuts in his career and found it extra difficult to shred the weight needed to make 160 lb to fight Benn, especially with a rehydration clause preventing him from bulking up beyond fight night.
It is for this reason why Catterall has been left uneasy with Eubank Jr putting his body through it all once again.
“I just thought, coming off the first fight, that we got away with one,” Catterall explained on talkSPORT’s Fight Night.
“Everybody came out relatively healthy. I know the boys went off to hospital and what have you…we had a great event.
“I don’t think we can recreate all the narratives that came with that first event, especially the revealing of [Eubank Sr] when he turned up.
“All those things were like a WWE storyline, and I don’t think that can be recreated.”
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Eubank Jr is only about the money for taking the rematch, according to CatterallCredit: Getty
Fans erupted in the Tottenham Hotspur stadium when Eubank Sr, who had previously criticised his son for taking the fight with Benn, showed up on the big screen getting out of a black SUV with Eubank Jr.
“The reason I maybe wanted to go in a different direction is because I think the stock of both fighters rose, and I saw genuine pathways to some serious big fights for legacy,” Catterall continued.
“This, for me, is a fight about money, that’s it. I know there’s family heritage, but from a boxing standpoint, this is about the money.
“This is the most money on the table for both of them. Let’s be straight about it…
“Conor came out of that first fight, even in defeat, with a lot of stock. Absolutely.
“And I thought there were a lot of opportunities. I get there’s a lot of money on the table, and I get that from his point of view, he wants to beat the guy.
“There’s family heritage. He’s just lost a fight, and he wants to get one over. I get it.
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Eubank Jr missed weight ahead of his first fight with BennCredit: Getty
“[But] from Chris’ point of view…this just proves to me that Chris Eubank Jr is only interested in money.
“He’s willing to risk his health and being beaten for the money.”
Fellow talkSPORT pundit Gareth A Davies interjected, saying: “He’s following what his dad always said about boxing, but he’s doing it to the extreme.
“He knows if he has one more big fight, he’s set for life. Even if he loses, he’s still set.”
But Catterall wasn’t having any of it.
“He’s already made a ton of money, with all due respect, without achieving all he could have,” he concluded.
Chris Eubank Jr names the only boxer he truly hates – and it’s not Conor Benn
Davies responded: “That was his biggest payday against Conor Benn, wasn’t it? Without question.”
Before Catterall asserted: “So he’s doing it again for the money, willing to risk his health to do so.
“Why would I come on the radio and moan about it? I did the first time around.
“The first fight, I was concerned about the rehydration clause and the health aspects of the fight.
“But it’s his life. He’s a grown man. If he’s making that decision, more fool him.”
Eubank Jr vs Benn 2 will take place on November 15 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It is being billed as ‘Unfinished Business’ with a potential trilogy in store if Benn can exact revenge.
Benn’s trainer, Tony Sims, has declared the bout will be more of a tactical affair than the first meeting for a bout many are describing as more challenging for Eubank Jr this time around.