Ill-advised Benn-eubank Jr Rematch Another Example Of Boxing’s Cynicism

Boxing has ever been a profoundly cynical business. The overwhelming nonsubjective for astir promoters, and galore fighters, is to rake successful arsenic overmuch money arsenic quickly arsenic imaginable without immoderate undue interest astir looking crass aliases desperate.

Anyone who has spent conscionable a small clip successful nan institution of boxers will understand that they merit immoderate rate they tin make retired of specified a difficult and vulnerable activity. But promoters person ransacked nan pockets of boxing fans done nan decades while peddling thing and everything from Joe Louis’s “Bum of nan Month” nine to this week’s connection that Anthony Joshua whitethorn make tens of millions of dollars if he steps into nan ringing to look Jake Paul, nan erstwhile YouTuber, adjacent month.

Saturday night’s rematch betwixt Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr is simply a small different. They shared nan ringing successful April and that fight, which showcased their bravery and resilience, took chunks retired of some men. Eubank Jr spent 2 nights successful infirmary recovering from nan ravaging weight trim and rehydration clause which constricted him to adding conscionable 10lb aft nan charismatic weigh-in. Benn was besides taken to infirmary aft a gruelling conflict but was discharged that aforesaid night.

Eubank Jr, however, had won nan conflict intelligibly connected each 3 scorecards by nan identical separator of 116-112. There really is nary need, isolated from making much money, for this rematch betwixt 2 fighters who usually run successful different weight classes. Benn is simply a welterweight and Eubank Jr, a earthy middleweight, has fought often astatine super-middleweight. This intends that they person been separated, astatine times, by 3 divisions.

If either of them had a different begetter moreover nan proposal of a conflict betwixt them would not person been uttered by immoderate promoter. But their iconic British boxing family names, built connected nan genuine rivalry and superior fighting pedigree of Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr, intends that nan sons are shoehorned backmost into different artificial contest.

It makes commercialized consciousness for everyone involved. Neither Benn nor Eubank Jr would make arsenic overmuch money against immoderate different combatant successful their ain weight class – and they some run connected nan much constricted margins of world-class boxing.

Conor Benn leans connected nan ropes aft losing against Chris Eubank Jr astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium successful April. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA

Eubank Jr is nan bigger man and nan much accomplished and knowledgeable technician who has faced a higher calibre of opposition. He missed nan middleweight limit by 0.05lb and was fined £375,000 earlier nan conflict successful April, but avoided immoderate hiccups this time. He is, however, diminished by having to adhere to nan damaging rehydration clause which he agreed to arsenic a measurement of squeezing immoderate much money retired of nan promotion. Also, Eubank Jr is 36 and incapable of fighting three-minute rounds astatine a comparatively brisk tempo. He tin conscionable astir negociate a mates of minutes while needing to remainder aliases seashore done astatine slightest a 3rd of each round.

Benn, who precocious turned 29, cuts a far-less worn fig successful nan ring. But moreover his biggest supporter, his father, lamented nan crudity of his chaotic slugging successful nan first conflict which meant he missed Eubank Jr much often than he caught him. Benn has promised to beryllium overmuch much objective and disciplined successful nan rematch but his prospects are still pinned connected nan dream that Eubank Jr has gone to nan good 1 clip excessively galore and ended up a husk of nan man who won decisively successful April.

That lingering uncertainty is nan main constituent of intrigue now. But utilizing a weight trim and nan erosion of clip arsenic a cardinal income transportation successful persuading nan hapless punter to ammunition retired a £25 pay-per-view fee, connected apical of a Dazn subscription, feels for illustration different debased successful boxing’s shameless hucksterism.