Promoter Eddie Hearn boiled over today, reacting to being labeled a “snake oil salesman” for promoting the Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn family feud fight as one involving top world-ranked contenders.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom)
Manufactured Drama
This fight is 100% manufactured drama, and just a glorified celebrity match.. It’s a match for entertainment purposes, taking advantage of older, sentimental UK fans who remember the famous fathers of Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. Hearn deserves to be labeled a snake oil salesman because this contrived fight places entertainment over sport, as these are not true world level fighters.
The sanctioning bodies technically rank the two fighters, but neither has beaten a top-notch opponent during their careers, making their fight on Saturday viewed as a bout between two top-level fighters. Benn would lose to virtually every contender in the rankings at 147, and the same with Eubank Jr.
“Conor Benn is ranked with all the governing bodies, or most of them. Top five with some. What is he saying, ‘He’s not a top 15 welterweight,’” said promoter Eddie Hearn to Boxing Social, reacting to comments from Simon Jordan about him being a snake oil salesman, viewing the Eubank Jr-Benn fight as NOT a fight between world level contenders. “Chris Eubank is a top 15 in the middleweight world rankings. Are you saying he’s not a top 15 middleweight?”
Just because the sanctioning bodies rank Benn and Eubank Jr. doesn’t mean they deserve to be. They haven’t beaten anyone to rate being ranked in the top tier.
None of Benn’s last six wins have come against contenders at welterweight. He’s fought all unranked fighters during his career, and he’s not upgraded the level of opposition he’s been facing. That’s the troubling part.
Benn’s Resume
– Peter Dobson
– Rodolfo Orozco
– Chris Van Heerden
– Chris Algieri
– Adrian Granados
– Samuel Vargas
Eubank Jr.’s Decline
“He’s 35 years old, he’s been inactive, and he just got knocked out by Liam Smith. Yeah, he’s absolutely no way the fighter that he once was, and he’s not fearless anymore,” said Hearn when asked if he thinks Eubank Jr. is showing signs of physical decline. He used to be fearless. He’s a tough man. He’s got a great chin, but he got cleaned out, and he’s not the same fighter.”
Eubank Jr. obviously isn’t the fighter he once was from 2015 to 2018, when he was beating fighters like Arthur Abraham, Renold Quinlan, Nick Blackwell, and Gary O’Sullivan. He still has enough left to defeat the inexperienced, smaller, and inactive Conor Benn.
“His body is falling apart. They patched him up to get through camp. He’s ready for the taking. It ain’t going to be easy, but he’s ready. He’s never had a proper trainer,” said Hearn about Eubank Jr. “He’s gone from camp to camp. He’s always done what he’s wanted to do. He’s never had a proper training camp like Conor Benn. He doesn’t.
“I’m not saying he’s not a dedicated guy because he is dedicated, but nowhere near the levels of Conor Benn. He don’t want it anymore. He’s not about boxing anymore. It’s money, money, money. That’s it. Give me my money,” said Hearn about Eubank Jr.
Last Updated on 04/23/2025
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