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Chris Eubank Jr beats Conor Benn with his dad at ringside in thrilling battle
@Source: dailystar.co.uk
Chris Eubank Junior defeated Conor Benn on points by unanimous decision at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with his father Chris Eubank Senior watching at ringside.
Eubank Jr, 35, finally faced his 28-year-old rival on Saturday night, more than three decades after their legendary dads Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn last fought in 1993, with their family legacies on the line. 'The Destroyer', accompanied by his father Nigel, 61, was undefeated going into the clash.
Eubank Jr had lost three times in his career, but after two wins in his last two fights had the unexpected boost of his dad's support, after Eubank Sr, 58, sent fans wild by turning up in North London, despite previously labelling his son a "disgrace" and pledging never to be in his corner again.
'Next Gen' began at a furious pace, having refused to touch gloves with his rival. He landed early jabs and made the most of his size advantage in the opening round, with Benn's wild shots missing their target. Yet a strong right hand from Benn soon had his opponent shaking his head before the bell.
The second round saw Benn work his way into the fight, landing with a left hook, as a little bit of blood emerged from Eubank Jr's nose and Benn started to show his explosivity. And in the third round he connected with a left hook that again appeared to shake his nemesis.
The bigger man seemed to be struggling with his quicker rival, as Eubank Jr showed some apprehension. Benn landed a big right hand, and both men briefly tumbled to the canvas following a clinch.
They had agreed to fight at a catchweight of 160lb, with Eubank Jr coming down and missing weight by half an ounce and following a strict rehydration clause, and Benn stepping up two weight categories.
The commentary team on DAZN speculated that perhaps as a result of his gruelling efforts to make weight, Eubank Jr looked a little weary, but in the fourth round he took Benn's best shots and replied with a nice uppercut.
Benn slipped and fell but flipped up in an act of showmanship at the start of a competitive fifth round, with plenty of verbals being exchanged by both fighters. In the sixth, Eubank Jr struck with a nice shot to the body, but Benn was the man landing more hits.
Benn took a strong right uppercut in the seventh and showed the strength of his chin as he walked through it. But Eubank Jr was finding his range and connected with a big right hand.
Heading into the eighth, Benn came out swinging, however it was Eubank Jr showing more accuracy, before a thrilling end to the round as both men released a barrage of punches.
They continued to go to war in the ninth, Benn showing his resolve as Eubank Jr looked to press home his advantage, despite being hindered by a cut to his right eye, which was bleeding profusely following an inadvertent clash of heads.
A wild 10th round saw Benn get some joy from working the body, but Eubank Jr ended the round targeting the same area with some stinging shots of his own.
The 11th round saw Eubank Jr driving forward with a succession of combination hits, but no one could deny the heart and resilience of Benn, absorbing and taking big hooks.
The crowd roared in appreciation as the final round began, Benn appearing to be hurt by a right hand, as more heavy blows came his way and he again showed a great chin.
Yet he was rocked by a huge left from Eubank, who looked for a late stoppage as Benn tried to fire back, only to be tagged again and hanging on with just seconds left on the clock.
Both men could have deservedly taken a bow from the 60,000 fans in attendance after an intense battle, with Eubank Sr entering the ring to show respect to Conor Benn, who returned it in kind and thanked him.
But it was Eubank Jr who won by unanimous decision, as all three judges scored the fight 116-112.
Post-fight, he credited his dad for the victory. "I pushed through. I'm happy to have this man back next to me. Onwards and upwards," Eubank Jr said. "It was one of those things that was special. He needed to be here."
Eubank Sr added: "That is legendary behaviour in the ring. Conor Benn is an extraordinary fighter. I am so proud of my son."
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