0.05 pounds cost $500k to boxer Chris Eubank Jr ahead of Conor Benn fight

Chris Eubank Jr. fined for missing weight at 160 lb limit in build-up to fight with Conor Benn, absorbs around $500k hefty fine

0.05 pounds cost $500k to boxer Chris Eubank Jr ahead of Conor Benn fight

Chris Eubank Jr. fined for missing weight before Conor Benn fight (Source: X)

Chris Eubank Jr. failed to make the agreed-upon 160-pound limit for tomorrow’s big British clash with Conor Benn. But the fight will go on for now, according to ESPN. At the official weigh-in, Chris Eubank Jr. tipped the scales at 160.2 pounds. He only managed to come down to 160.05 lbs — still just over the contractual limit — when he was given some extra time to lose the extra hydration.

Per ESPN, Chris Eubank Jr. would face a £375,000 fine, as a result. Combined with his egg crack on Conor Benn’s head, he’s already forfeited over half a million American dollars, or around $500k ahead of the boxing bout. That’s a hefty price for any boxer to pay before a bout. The Gen II pugilist has been drawing much attention during the media rounds. Even Saudi GEA boxing chief and powerbroker Turki Alalshikh kept on a keen interest in the Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn affair.

The 35-year-old most recently triumphed over Kamil Szeremeta and snagged the vacant IBO middleweight title. He drew the undefeated Benn as his next opponent and was riled up about his controversial run with the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) refusing to sanction it. Benn, who is moving up from welterweight and not a true middleweight yet, officially came in at 156.4 lbs.

Neither fighter will be allowed to rehydrate to more than 170 pounds on fight day. This will be much more severe and a stiffer test for Eubank Jr. than it will be for Benn. As such, there is much anticipation about who would fare well here. Eubank Jr. remained unfazed about the weight miss and even released a video on it later.

Chris Eubank Jr. took to socials after his weight miss

The clash comes three years after the pair were on the rumor mills, before Benn tested positive for a banned substance. He was cleared to fight in the UK in November. All eight Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn undercard fighters made weight for their respective clashes. Eubank Jr. was the only stitch in the process, who came up short.

Chris Eubank Jr. took to socials after weight miss
Chris Eubank Jr. took to socials after weight miss (Source: X)

Chris Eubank Jr. has had a turbulent running with his father as well. Given the gravity of that, and being called a disgrace, he had some sharp intentions. The weight-miss did not deter him from it; even during the media pressers, he did say that the weight cut is a tough process, and he would get through. The boxer later released a video (📹: @ChrisEubankJr on IG) and a now-defunct snippet on X about the harrowing cut process.

Eubank Jr. is a career middleweight, but Benn is a welterweight, making him go up two weight classes for the fight. However, Benn weighed just over 150 pounds in his last fight. It was a unanimous points win over Peter Dobson in February of 2024. However, the irony is that Eubank Jr. found himself on the short end during the weigh-in. It’d be interesting to see how the boxers recoup and perform from here.

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