Nigel Benn says it was the ‘real Conor’ who fought Chris Eubank Jr. in their first fight last April. He claims he was throwing wild punches throughout the fight, making it look like a “bar fight.” Nguel says it will be a more refined version of the rematch this Saturday, November 15, against Eubank Jr. (35-3, 25 KO) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
(Source: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Can Conor match Eubank’s work rate?
Benn, 29, will need to improve to avoid being overworked and beaten from the inside by Eubank Jr. again, as seen on April 26, 2025. Conor looked and didn’t seem to be able to physically match Chris Jr. If he could, he would show it in this fight. He obviously trained to fight inside and take a lot of shots. It’s not like him.
“We will see the real Conor. It wasn’t the real Conor. If you watched him, you know he didn’t throw miniature punches, hooks or jabs. He just drew them in. It looked like a bar fight,” said Nigel Benn Fighting Hub TVtalking about how his son Conor Benn fought Chris Eubank Jr. in April last year.
He looked like the same Conor Benn we always saw. Since his first day as a professional, he has always been loaded with his shots. It’s not just something he first started last April against Eubank Jr.; you can understand why Nigel is grasping at straws, trying to come up with a convincing reason why he looked so bad.
Will BoMac change Eubank Jr.?
“It won’t make a difference. He’s had four or five coaches and none of them changed him. He’s still the same,” Nigiel said when asked about his thoughts on Eubank Jr. bringing in trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre to train him for his rematch with Benn.
Having “BoMac” in his corner could make a difference for Eubank Jr. if he respects him and is willing to follow his instructions during the fight. “BoMac” probably won’t tell him anything different than his previous coach Johnathon Bank did on April 26. However, if he has more faith in “BoMac” because of the success he had with Terence Crawford, he might be more willing to do what he says.
“Terence Crawford could go to any coach and he would still be the head coach,” Nigel said, implying that “BoMac” didn’t make Crawford great. No matter who trained him, he would be the same fighter. “He will be the real Conor.”
Robert Segal was a key voice in Boxing News 24providing fight news, previews and analysis with direct access to insider information. Covering sports for over a decade, his work focuses on champions, challengers and emerging talent around the world. Known for his edged in-ring perspective, Robert brings fans closer to the action with straightforward, well-read reporting.
Mike Tyson has shared his verdict on who he ranks higher between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are considered two of the greatest boxing legends in recent history, and their success led to a battle between them at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in May 2015.
Mayweather is now 49 and Pacquiao is 47, both men are well past their prime, and there is often debate among boxing fans as to which man was better than the other during the best years of their careers.
Mayweather retired with a perfect 50-0 record, defeating the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez, while Pacquiao is the only eight-division boxing world champion in history to boast victories over the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto.
Heavyweight icon Tyson once expressed his own opinion on who was the better of the two, ace revealed that he thinks Pacquiao has achieved more.
“Pacquiao is better than Floyd. He overcame adversity. He got knocked out, came back and had some sensational fights against opponents that outperformed any opponent Floyd had fought.”
Before Mayweather faces Pacquiao in a rematch, he is actually scheduled to face Tyson himself, and an event between the pair will take place soon, although it appears it will not take place on the originally announced April 25 date.
Undisputed lithe heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol could pursue a rematch with Canelo Alvarez or a fight with David Benavidez once he finishes his current duties in the division.
Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, outlined the champion’s preferred path in comments provided by Dan Rafael, explaining that Bivol intends to first pursue a mandatory IBF defense and then return to competing with Artur Beterbiev.
He is expected to have a mandatory defense against Michael Eifert this spring. The fight was scheduled for May 23 at a gala headlined by unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
After fulfilling this obligation, Bivol’s team wants to immediately start the third fight with Beterbiev. Their rivalry produced two closely watched fights, leaving unfinished business between two fighters who have dominated the lithe heavyweight division for the past several years and built one of the most respected rivalries in the sport.
More intriguing possibilities emerge after this trilogy. Rafael reported that Bivola’s camp sees a second fight with Canelo as one of the main options still available to the champion. Bivol defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision in 2022, handing the Mexican star one of the clearest defeats of his career.
Another potential opponent in question is Benavidez, who has moved up to lithe heavyweight and has been seeking a chance to fight the top fighters in the division. The fight between Bivol and Benavidez will pit the undefeated Mexican-American challenger against a champion who currently holds four major division titles.
Kornilov also suggested that Bivol could eventually prove himself at cruiserweight, although such an idea appears to be more of a long-term possibility than an immediate plan for the undefeated champion.
For now, the plan of action remains straightforward: fulfill the IBF mandate against Eifert, complete the trilogy with Beterbiev, and then fight one of the most crucial fights that could decide the final stage of Bivol’s career.
Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
A fresh twist has been revealed in the story of Jai Opetai and the IBF cruiserweight title.
Last week it was reported that Opetaia was to be stripped of his IBF belt after the opening bell of his planned fight with Brandon Glanton on Sunday at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, due to the fact that the fight was also for Zuffa’s inaugural belt.
After the fight, Opetaia once again shared his desire to become undisputed in the cruiserweight division, and it appears he has been given the opportunity to do just that as – announced the IBF in a statement that they have not yet made a final decision to strip him of the title.
“Jai Opetaia made comments during the post-fight press conference that led the organization’s leadership to question whether his advisors fully and fully made him aware of the decisions he had to make in deciding to fight Brandon Glanton. The organization intends to take a closer look at this matter.”
The statement also included a mighty response to claims that they had decided not to sanction the fight due to feelings of “disrespect” in the run-up to the fight.
“The IBF categorically denies any suggestion or claim that it deliberately withdrew sanctions to cause harm. The IBF sanctioned the Opetaia vs. Glanton fight in good faith, expecting what was assured to happen.”
“The press conference held on March 8 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, made it clear that the inaugural Zuffa World Cruiserweight Championship would be held on March 8.
“The IBF, as previously stated on March 6, reserves the right to sanction title fights along with other sanctioning bodies that adhere to the same regulations that the IBF follows, and reserves the right to sanction title fights along with other fights that prepare the IBF cruiserweight title remains a subject of discussion.”
The final outcome as to whether Opetaia will indeed retain her title will be revealed in due course.
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