Chris Eubank Jr. Fined £375K After Missing Weight Ahead of Conor Benn Fight
Chris Eubank Jr. will be fined £375,000 after narrowly missing the weight limit by 0.05lb for his highly anticipated fight against Conor Benn. Eubank, who initially weighed in at 160.2lb and 160.05lb on his second attempt, failed to meet the middleweight limit of 160lb, while Benn came in lighter than expected at 156.4lb. Despite this, the fight is still set to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with both fighters agreeing to a rehydration clause limiting them to no more than 170lb on the morning of the match.
Eubank, a career middleweight, has previously fought at super-middleweight, while Benn, typically a welterweight, is stepping up two weight classes for this fight. The fight had been originally scheduled for 2022 but was delayed after Benn tested positive for a banned substance. With both boxers now committed to the bout, the missed weight and the added rehydration clause have sparked increased attention on the weight disparity between the two. Eubank's team has made no comments on the fine, but the psychological advantage may now be with Benn.
This weight mishap adds to a string of controversies surrounding Eubank, including a £100,000 fine for slapping Benn with an egg at a press conference. Despite the tension, Eubank has remained focused, claiming that the weight cut and rehydration are not concerns for him. “The weight cut, the rehydration clause, these are all things that are not an issue, that are not important,” he said ahead of the fight.
