Billy Joe Saunders, the man who took away Chris Eubank Junior’s “O,” is, like the rest of us, very much intrigued by the upcoming catch-weight showdown between Eubank and Conor Benn.
The two sons of champions will meet just below the middleweight limit on October 8, and plenty of fans find themselves torn when it comes to picking a winner – to being able to pick a winner.
Will Eubank, who has boxed as a super-middleweight, be too big for Benn, who campaigns as a welterweight? Will Benn’s speed and power get the job done?
Saunders, who may or may not fight again himself, spoke with DAZN, and the former WBO champ who decisioned Eubank way back when, says he “has a feeling” Benn will pull out a special performance.
“A lot of people are favoring Eubank because of the size,” Saunders said. “You know the clever thing the Benns have done here is obviously put the weight restriction on it. Now, it all depends on how he’s [Eubank] going to handle that at 32. I’m going to put it out there as a complete 50-50 fight. If you could give Conor Benn another year’s experience and then give him the advantage of the weight scenario, I would definitely, without hesitation, say Conor Benn. With the experience Eubank’s got, he’s been in some big fights, but Conor Benn you just can never write him off, and I’ve just got a feeling that he’s going to pull something out of the bag. I’ve talked to him; I’ve been talking to him for a while. I believe Conor wants it more.”
It really is a fascinating fight, one that has, of course, generated mass feelings of nostalgia, seeing as Eubank Snr and Nigel Benn divided an entire nation when they battled it out in the 1990s. Maybe Saunders is right when he calls this one a 50-50 fight?
But Saunders could not help having a dig at old foe Eubank, saying he will “never” be a world champion, whether he beats Benn on October 8 or not.
“I stand by that statement as long as my name’s Billy Joe Saunders, he will never become world champion as long as he’s got a hole in his a**e because there’s one thing he can’t do, and that’s box,” Saunders said of Eubank.
Eubank has said that if he cannot beat Benn, he will be “finished.” As for the winner, can he go on to win a world title? Both men really are risking things by tackling one another at this stage in their respective careers.
