Chris Eubank Jr’s unanimous-decision loss to Conor Benn in their highly anticipated rematch has sparked intense debate across the boxing world, with former champions Carl Frampton, Barry Jones, and others suggesting the 36-year-old may have reached the end of his career.
The bout, staged in front of a packed crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, came seven months after Eubank defeated Benn in their first meeting. This time, however, the story was emphatically different. Benn controlled the fight from the opening bell and swept all three judges’ scorecards, leaving many analysts questioning whether Eubank can continue at the elite level.
Call for Retirement: “Time to Call It a Day”
Frampton—himself a former world champion—praised Benn’s performance but made his assessment of Eubank’s future brutally clear.
“This might be the time to call it a day for Chris,”
Frampton told DAZN.
“I’m not trying to be harsh. I’m just being honest.”
Barry Jones, the former WBO super-featherweight champion, echoed those sentiments, pointing to signs of physical decline.
“From round one it was evident he was flat,” said Jones.
“Maybe weight, maybe wear and tear—I think it’s the latter.”
Jones stressed that although Benn performed brilliantly, Eubank failed to respond to openings or impose his rhythm.
Claims of “Weight Drain” After Strict Rehydration Clause
One of the most discussed aspects of the rematch was Eubank’s restricted ability to rehydrate. A contractual clause prevented him from gaining more than 10 pounds after the weigh-in.
Lightweight multi-division champion Shakur Stevenson said Eubank was clearly “weight drained,” while boxing icon Oscar De La Hoya defended the British fighter in a blunt post on X:
“Eubank never had a chance due to weight drain.”
Eubank has spent most of his recent career at middleweight, making the rehydration limit particularly challenging.
Eubank Responds: “I’ve Been Through Hell and Back”
Eubank did not rule out retirement, but hinted at issues behind the scenes that impacted his preparation.
“I genuinely thought that regardless of the issues I’ve been dealing with, I’d still be able to win,” he said.
“From the first round, I realised I was mistaken.”
In a revealing moment during the post-fight press conference, promoter Ben Shalom began to give insight into Eubank’s struggles in training camp—only for Eubank to stop him mid-sentence, indicating a desire to keep the details private.
Shalom added:
“He deserves huge credit just for getting in there.”
Benn Dominates: “As One-Sided as You’ll Ever See”
Tony Bellew disagreed with the calls for Eubank to retire, but admitted that Benn’s performance left no doubt about the result.
“Round seven and eight, Chris tried to put it together but couldn’t work out Benn’s timing,” Bellew said.
“He was out-jabbed, outworked, and bullied.”
Bellew described Benn’s display as “as convincing and one-sided a win as you’ll ever see in boxing.”
Frampton added that Benn’s emotional control—something he lacked in the first fight—made a significant difference.
“He was controlled. He didn’t waste energy. Everything was calculated.”
Benn, who fought the last two bouts at middleweight, has said he now plans to return to welterweight.
Calls for a Trilogy: “They Gotta Do It Again”
Rapper 50 Cent, who dramatically walked Eubank to the ring, called for a third fight despite the one-sided nature of the rematch.
“What a fight. They gotta do that again,” he wrote on X.
Even Benn did not rule out a trilogy, saying simply:
“Money talks.”
Leave a Reply