Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn Prediction: Over eight rounds of war

The 157lbs catchweight fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn is going ahead despite all the controversies surrounding a failed test by Benn. The BBBoC has described the bout as not ‘in the interest of boxing’ after Benn returned a failed doping test for testing positive for Clomiphene, a fertility drug used by women to induce ovulation. Chris Eubank Snr thinks the fight is not in the interest of Junior as he will have to cut 3lbs in order to make 157 and has threatened not to be in his son’s corner. 33-year-old Eubank Jr, typically a Middleweight insists he will fight despite the failed test. The 12-round super-welterweight grudge match holds on Saturday, October 3 at The O2 Arena in London. 

The British boxer is the son of two-division world boxing champion, Chris Eubank. He has held championships in two weight classes, including the WBA interim middleweight title twice between 2015 and 202. Eubanks Jr. also won the British Middleweight championship in 2016. ‘Next Gen’ has two losses from 36 fights, losing first to fellow Brit, Billy Joe Saunders in 2014 by split decision and most recently to George Groves when he lost his WBO Super-Middleweight title in Manchester. In order to make the catchweight 157lbs, Eubank Jr. will lose about three pounds, a situation the senior Eubank is not happy about. He is due to sit in his son’s corner in this grudge match against the son of his fierce rival, Nigel Benn.

26-year-old Conor Benn is the WBA Continental Welterweight champion and is undefeated in his professional career. He became the Continental champion in 2018 by defeating Cedrick Peynaud at the O2 Arena. On October 5, the BBBoC released a statement that the fight was prohibited after Benn failed a VADA doping test. ‘The Destroyer’ defended his innocence by saying that: ’I've signed up to every voluntary anti-doping testing there is under the sun, throughout my whole career all my UK tests have come back negative. I've never had any issues before. Even in the lead-up to this fight, my tests have come back negative.” 

Chris Eubank Jr is the bigger and more experienced fighter. As a result, he has been installed as the favorite by the oddsmakers. However, as a Middleweight fighter, he usually operates at the 160lbs mark, and having to make a steep weight cut must have its challenges. The welterweight, Benn will be bulking up from 145lbs and may have an advantage in the weight matter. That was the situation before the doping episode involving Benn. Although the fight will go ahead we cannot guarantee the state of mind of the fighters. Eubank Jr had earlier stated that he would retire if he loses. All the same, we expect a slugfest with each boxer looking to claim an early finish. We go for over 8. 5 rounds.

• Over 8.5 rounds at 1.61 odds on Betway
• W2 at 2.75 odds on Bet 365
• Decision Win Chris Eubank Jr., Yes 4.32 odds on 1xbet