Garcia-Benn Preview

 On August 22nd, Teofimo Lopez emerged victorious in becoming a three-division world champion when he scored a lopsided twelve round unanimous decision over WBA World Welterweight champion Rolando Romero at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. It was that fight that this observer speculated prior to it taking place, could have been the unofficial start of a four-boxer box-off as there was another world title fight that would take place in the same venue a few short weeks after Lopez ultimately defeated Romero. The second bout will be for the WBC World Welterweight championship as champion Ryan Garcia looks to make the first defense of his world title for the first time against top Welterweight contender Conor Benn in a twelve round bout that can be seen in the United States on digital subscription general entertainment network Paramount+ and internationally on digital subscription sports streaming DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. 

What makes this fight interesting beyond it being the first title defense for Garcia, a fighter who has had some setbacks along the way in his career, but one who has evolved into one of the top stars in the sport of Boxing, is in this case he’s going against a fighter in Benn that not only has the lineage being the son of the legendary two-division world champion Nigel Benn, but Conor Benn has spent his recent fights fighting well above the 147lb. Welterweight division, having competed in two fights against Chris Eubank Jr., the son of his father’s rival Chris Eubank Sr. with those bouts taking place in the 168lb. Super-Middleweight division. Prior to those bouts, in which Benn went 1-1 against Eubank Jr., he was a career Welterweight and was on the verge of challenging for a world title before Garcia got his opportunities. The question here is after having gone up three weight classes for his last two fights, what condition will he be in after coming back down in weight for this world title opportunity.

There have been times throughout history where fighters either after having won world titles at higher weights or looking for an opportunity to challenge for a world title after competing at higher weights, have come back down in weight with not so successful results. Two notable examples this observer has thought of in recent days as I prepared to pen this column was first in February 1991, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard  after winning world titles from the 147lb. Welterweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division, moved down in weight after last competing in December 1989 in defense of his WBC Super-Middleweight world championship in his third fight against his longtime rival Roberto Duran, chose to take on WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Terry Norris inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. From the opening bell, Norris administered a beating to Leonard, dropping him twice throughout the twelve round world championship bout and earning a wide unanimous decision victory to retain his title. After the fight right in the ring after the decision was announced, Leonard announced to the crowd in attendance that this would be his final fight and retired for six years before making another ill-fated combat in March 1997 when at age forty, he suffered the first knockout of his career when he was stopped in five rounds by the late great Hector “Macho” Camacho in five rounds inside the legendary Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Leonard, as he had done after the loss to Norris, retired following being stopped by Camacho, never to fight again.

A second example came in March 2003 where Roy Jones, a fighter who won world titles from the 160lb. Middleweight division to the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division moved up to challenge WBA World Heavyweight champion John Ruiz for his world title and scored a dominant twelve round unanimous decision to become a Heavyweight world champion and in doing so, became the first former Middleweight champion to successfully move up to Heavyweight and win a world title since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897. As historic as that accomplish was and remains, following that fight, despite Jones not really having anything else to prove and being in a position where he could have retired with an unmatched legacy, he was still a unified Light-Heavyweight world champion at the time he beat Ruiz and opted to move back down in weight to defend his title against Antonio Tarver later in 2003. Jones looked very sluggish and struggled to retain his title in a controversial decision in November 2003. The decision, that many felt should have gone Tarver’s way, fueled demand for an immediate rematch in May 2004. In that rematch, Tarver scored a second round one punch knockout of Jones, and from that point until Jones retired, having competed in his last official fight in 2023, was never the same fighter and his reflexes, punch resistance, and reaction time were clearly compromised after that knockout loss. Whether that was due to moving back down in weight after defeating Ruiz, or the effect of the knockout at the hands of Tarver in the second fight of what became a trilogy is a subject that will be debated by Boxing fans and historians such as yours truly. If one were to ask my opinion on the subject with regard to Jones, I believe it was a combination of both the drop back down in weight as well as the first of what became five knockouts Jones would go on to suffer throughout the remainder of his career that contributed to his decline.

In this case, we are talking about a fighter in Conor Benn that is a lot closer to his physical prime than either Leonard or Jones were when they opted to move back down in weight. Whether or not it will have negative physical effects in this fight or moving beyond this fight remains to be seen. The loss of mass that one puts on as they are preparing to move up in weight is something to consider as this fight approaches, though the fact that Benn is closer to his prime might be to his benefit in that his body might be able to respond better than both Leonard and Jones were as in addition to age and moving up in weight throughout their careers, both had been through their share of grueling battles, which no doubt contributed to their decline.

In terms of the fight itself, both Garcia and Benn have shown that they can do a little of everything and each have the type of explosive punching power that if they connect, they can end a fight with either hand. What this fight will come down to in my eyes is who will be able to take the initiative and whether they will be able to maintain that pace for however long the fight lasts. 

Whether or not this fight does indeed lead to a showdown later this year with the recently crowned WBA Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez also remains to be seen. With Lopez having put on a stellar performance a few short weeks ago, however, it will be up to Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn to take the attention off of Lopez and put it on themselves. If that translates into a great fight, even better for Boxing as a whole. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Garcia vs. Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States on general entertainment subscription streaming network Paramount+ beginning at 4PM ET/1PM PT and will be included with a Paramount+ subscription.

For more information about Paramount+ including schedules, list of compatible devices, platforms, Smart TVs, and to subscribe please visit: www.ParamountPlus.com. 

Internationally, the card can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view option or included as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription. For more information about DAZN including schedules,list of compatible streaming devices, platforms,Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and region specific pricing in your area, to subscribe or purchase this event as a standalone offering please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Benn Shocks Eubank Jr. In Chapter 4 Of Bloodline Rivalry, Should There Be A Third Fight Between The Sons Of Legendary Rivals?

The second encounter between former two-division world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn on November 15th, the fourth chapter of a generational rivalry between legendary bloodlines, one filled with bad blood, came just seven months after the first bout between the sons of Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn, which took place in April of this year at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. A fight that was a candidate for fight of the year that was won by Eubank Jr. after twelve grueling rounds in a unanimous decision. What made this rematch unique in a sense was that it was rare to see such a quick turnaround of only seven months, which is rare when one thinks of high-profile fights where the result of the original encounter was not controversial. Nevertheless, for a fight that was largely based on curiosity in Benn, a career Welterweight, essentially moving up two divisions to fight Eubank Jr., a fighter who has held world titles in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, which more than exceeded all expectations, a return bout was logical even if the timing seemed unusual by present era standards. 

The onus for the rematch was whether Benn could find an answer to defeat the naturally bigger Eubank. What was also of interest here was whether or not this fight, like its predecessor, would be one where the emotions and bad blood, largely rooted in the rivalry that began with their fathers thirty-five years ago, would influence how they fought. In that would this be a repeat of two fighters being willing to stand and trade shots with the combat being fought at a high pace?

Conventional wisdom suggested that Eubank, the winner of the first encounter, who struggled through severe fatigue to score a twelve round unanimous decision, who is more of a natural boxer, would attempt to be more elusive the second time around. To the shock of over 65,000 spectators returning to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the rematch, it was Benn that showcased a strategic approach no one from fan to grizzled scribes and experts such as this observer expected. 

From the opening bell, Benn applied pressure on Eubank, which was to be expected, as Eubank is an elusive boxer that utilizes lateral movement. While expected that Benn would look to cut the ring off from Eubank, what was unexpected was the non-aggressive, tactical approach in which Benn executed his fight plan, which differed significantly from the first fight that was fought almost strictly on emotions based on the bad blood between the two and their fathers.

Round after round, behind a consistent jab, strategically placed body punches, and consistent tactical pressure, Benn put round after round in the bank. As this was occurring one aspect also became evident, Eubank hesitated to let his hands go with any kind of consistency. Whether it was the fact that the first fight seemed to take something out of him, the quick turnaround between fights one and two, or the possibility of being both overtrained coupled with age as a thirty-six year old former two-division world champion possibly getting old in fighting years in the span of two fights, he simply could not pull the trigger and it quickly became a scenario that it was Benn's fight to lose. In that if Eubank was going to come drum behind and win the rematch, as he had done in fight one, despite significant fatigue and looking at various points like he was on the verge of being stopped, mainly by exhaustion, it would likely only come by Benn getting caught by a punch he did not see coming and knocked out suddenly. 

Although Chris Eubank Jr. had twenty-five knockouts in his thirty-five career wins, he has never been known for punching power. While one can never and should never dismiss the possibility of a fighter landing something dramatic as all it takes is one punch, regardless of style and traits, on this night, it was not to be for Eubank. Despite having some success when he was able to let his hands go, Eubank was unable to find a rhythm and Benn continued dominating with a stellar, disciplined Boxing performance. A career best performance that was nearly capped off with a knockout in the twelfth and final round as Benn dropped Eubank hard with a right hand then knocked him down a second time with a barrage of punches. Despite being very badly staggered after the second knockdown, Eubank managed to make it to the final bell, this time finding himself on the losing end of a twelve round unanimous decision.  A dominant victory virtual shutout for Benn and the first win for the Benn family in this generational rivalry following a win for Eubank Sr, followed by a draw in the two fights between he and Nigel Benn in the 1990's, and now the two sons Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn splitting two fights between them.

While Conor Benn dismissed talk of a third fight, a potential fifth chapter in the rivalry as he suggested his desire is to move back down in weight to either the 154lb. Jr. Middleweight or 147lb. Welterweight divisions, down from the 160lb. Middleweight division where these two fights have been fought during 2025, and Eubank eluding to the possibility of dealing with issues outside of the ring when the two fighters gave post-fight interviews immediately following the rematch, this observer believes it will ultimately come down to whether the public, particularly in the United Kingdom, has significant interest in a third fight. The second encounter between the two sons was frankly a one-sided affair that on its own probably would not wet an appetite for a return bout.

 With the fight having taken place within the context of a long-standing rivalry, however, along with the fact that both encounters between the two sons have drawn over 60,000 spectators each time to the same stadium, a third fight will likely be discussed, despite Benn looking for a world title shot at a lower division, which he has yet to earn at this point in his career and Eubank Jr. looking to deal with personal issues outside the ring. If nothing else, it makes sense from both a financial and business standpoint for the fighters, the promoters, and the network, the global digital subscription-based sports streaming network DAZN, who have recently introduced an ultimate subscription plan to include events such as this, would be pay-per-view offerings as part of that subscription, as this rematch was, and are looking to entice both current and non-subscribers alike to either upgrade an existing subscription or subscribe as a new or returning customer. Whether or not we see a chapter five in the family rivalry remains to be seen, but based on what happened in fight two, chapter four between the sons of legends, it may not be a wise idea for a quick turnaround between fights two and three. Even if it may be all too tempting and logical to cash in on the rivalry continuing. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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The Rivalry Continues: Previewing Eubank Jr.-Benn II

In April of this year, an enthusiastic crowd of over 60,000 spectators crammed into London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the renewal of one of Boxing’s great rivalries. Eubank vs. Benn. A rivalry of legitimate bad blood that began with world champions and legends Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn in the 1990s, would be carried on by their offspring IBO Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn in a non-title twelve round bout that was more about the rivalry itself rather than each fighter’s respective standings in the sport.

The fight did not disappoint with both fighters engaging in a battle of wills from the opening bell that did not let up from start to finish where despite at times late in the fight that he might have been stopped due to utter exhaustion, Eubank was able to prevail to win a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision. Now, only seven months later the two British stars will return to the site of their first meeting, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 15th that can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View or included with subscription for DAZN Ultimate Tier subscribers.

In all truth and honesty with the reader, the fact that this rematch, which is essentially chapter four of the rivalry between the two bloodlines, is occurring as quickly as it is. Certainly not because this veteran Boxing scribe does not feel a rematch is warranted, but because all too often, the business of Boxing tends to rear its head where highly anticipated fights, let alone rematches occur in a reasonable timeframe. It also is worth noting that there was two years and eleven months between the first fight between their fathers and their rematch.

In one sense it is refreshing to see a quick return, but on the other hand, one might question if this second encounter between the two sons is a bit too soon. After all, the first fight was highly anticipated and took years to come to fruition for various reasons, but the fight that was fought back in April was an exhausting one that had to take a lot out of both fighters. Often after a battle like that, it does take time for one to recover from the physical and mental toll a fight like that can take from a fighter. While there are exceptions to that thinking obviously, especially in previous eras where fighters at or near the top of the sport fought more frequently during a calendar year as compared to present day, will this turn out to be one of those exceptions?

Obviously we are likely to get some clarity on that question depending on what occurs in this rematch. What could be different this time? Well, in the eyes of this observer, it will boil down to what approach Conor Benn will try to implement. If one were to look at the first fight and specifically how this bout was fought, they might be surprised that it went the distance. Both fighters seemed to go all out and while it resulted in an entertaining bout that exceeded expectations especially given that Benn was moving up two divisions from Welterweight to Middleweight to face a fighter in Eubank who had held world titles in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions. Whether that pace in which the combat was fought was rooted more in emotion in terms of the bad blood between the fighters and their fathers more than a strategic approach is something only the fighters can answer, but a potential benefit for Benn from the rematch coming so quickly is he might be able to approach Eubank more tactically.

Although Eubank ultimately won the first fight by a margin of eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points on all three scorecards, it is indisputable that Benn had periods of significant success throughout the fight and appeared at points where he may have been able to stop Eubank later in the fight due to exhaustion. While I thought the fight was closer than the official judges and ended up with a six rounds to six scorecard at the end of the twelve round bout, I ended up with a unique score in that, despite ending up even in rounds, I had Eubank up two points 114-112. This was due to Eubank, despite looking extremely fatigued having a strong eleventh and twelfth round. In particular, the final round, which he dominated to such a degree that I scored it 10-8 on my unofficial scorecard, despite Eubank not being able to score a knockdown of Benn.

If Benn is able to control the pace this time where it's more about tactics rather than trying to stand and trade shots toe to toe, things may tip more in his favor this time around. How does Benn accomplish this? He needs to cut the ring off and limit Eubank’s ability to move. Although Benn is the fighter known as the puncher of the two, the key will be whether he can be strategic and look to try and gradually break Eubank down rather than trying to end the fight with every punch he throws and he must make sure he conserves his stamina in the event this fight goes into the later rounds as was the case in the first encounter.

In contrast, Eubank needs to be elusive, needs to control the pace in such a way that he can avoid the periods of fatigue that almost got to him in the first fight. While this may be easier said than done, if Eubank can box more than be forced to trade punches this time and find a way to nullify Benn any time he gets close, he may be able to get his second victory in this renewed rivalry, but it may be more lopsided this time around.

The first fight was more about the curiosity of the offspring of two great fighters and the event of the occasion. This time, while it is still about the rivalry between the two bloodlines, hopefully it is more about these two fighters and more about the contrast of styles between them rather than expectations that are hard to live up to. In fairness, the first fight did exceed every possible expectation, what happens in this latest chapter remains to be seen.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Eubank Jr. vs. Benn 2 takes place on Saturday, November 16th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View for $59.99 or as part of DAZN’s newly introduced Ultimate subscription tier for $44.99 per month or $449.99 per year. The broadcast will begin at 11:45AM ET/8:45AM PT.

(*North American pay-per-view and subscription prices only.*)

(*Card Subject To Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world local start times and pricing in your area, to order this pay-per-view event or to subscribe or upgrade your existing subscription please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Follow-Up: DAZN's Three Upcoming Pay-Per-View Cards Now Available For Purchase

In a follow-up to the recent column discussing DAZN’s upcoming three pay-per-view Boxing cards, which will take place within a seven day period. All three events are now available to purchase on DAZN’s website. The first event, which will take place on Saturday, April 26th will be headlined by a long-awaited grudge match between sons of Hall of Fame rivals Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, Sr., two-division world champion Chris Eubank, Jr. and Conor Benn, which will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England is available here in the United States for $24.99. This will be followed by back-to-back events on May 2nd and 3rd. First on May 2nd a tripleheader will take place outdoors in Times Square in New York City, NY featuring Ryan Garcia facing Rolando Romero, former two-division world champion Devin Haney facing former Jr. Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez, and current WBO Jr. Welterweight world champion Teofimo Lopez defending his title against number one WBO contender Arnold Barboza for $59.99. On May 3rd, Super-Middleweight world champions Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and William Scull will meet in Saudi Arabia for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world, which is also priced at $59.99. DAZN, however, is offering an option for both the May 2nd and 3rd events by offering consumers the option to either purchase both events separately at the aforementioned $59.99 per event or as a bundle for $89.99. All three events are available for purchase at DAZN.com We will have coverage of all three events in the coming weeks here on Stay tuned.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, to subscribe, and for region-specific pricing for select pay-per-view events please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Harlem Eubank Emerges On The Jr. Welterweight Radar

Longtime readers of this observer's work both online and in print over the years, have likely seen yours truly at one time or another chronicle the rise of a fighter, who is the offspring of a former fighter, who in most cases is a former world champion. As time has gone on, unfortunately I find myself in a position where now when these scenarios come up, the offspring of a fighter I will be covering is one where I covered their parent during the early days of my journey covering Boxing and by extension combat sports, which began in the mid-1990's. While that does offer me the chance to feel old, it also provides yours truly an opportunity to provide some insight that some might describe as unique due to my either having covered or otherwise watched the parent during their time competing in the sport of a fighter that is now starting to emerge on the scene in Boxing.

Such a scenario presented itself on March 31st, when on an otherwise quiet afternoon, I found myself browsing the app of digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as I often look to see if there are additions to their schedule. A pleasant surprise emerged when I came across an advert for a Boxing card taking place within minutes from the legendary York Hall in London, England where undefeated Jr. Welterweight prospect Harlem Eubank, the son of former world champion Chris Eubank Sr., and the brother of former IBO Super-Middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr., would be competing in the main event.

In the interest of disclosure with the reader, I had been aware that a card would indeed be taking place on March 31st in York Hall, but was unaware that I would have access to the event and further did not know that the opportunity to watch the card would also present the chance to see Harlem Eubank compete for the first time. Having previously covered both his father and his brother, I was naturally interested by the chance to cover the latest in the Eubank bloodline.

As is usually the case whenever a fight featuring the offspring of a great fighter occurs, I do tend just out of instinct, to look for similarities between what I had seen previously and what the offspring has to offer. In this case, this fight in particular had an added wrinkle in that Eubank would be facing a late replacement in the form of thirty-two bout veteran Miguel Antin. This created a sense of the unknown as to what I thought I might see as often those who take fights on short notice are either under prepared, which is natural given the circumstances and that usually results in a short fight,  or they end up being considerably more dangerous than the label of a "Late Replacement" would suggest.

What stood out to me immediately was Eubank, who entered the fight unbeaten in sixteen bouts with six knockouts, displayed speed both in terms of lateral movement as well as hand speed. Eubank's ability to change levels and attack Antin, a native of El Boldon, Argentina, who entered the fight with a record of 20-11-1, with 8 Knockouts, at varying levels and ability to use angles in doing so, reminded this observer of Chris Eubank Sr., who won world titles in both the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions, at his best. While it can be tempting when one sees such similarities to get caught up in nostalgia, it is important for one to keep in mind that when it comes to the offspring of great fighters, it may not necessarily be wise for one to associate their style as being similar or a direct copy of who they have sprung from.

Nevertheless, Eubank's approach did catch my attention as he appeared to implement a stick and move approach, throwing and landing short, compact combinations, and evading Antin with his movement. Although the circumstances seemed to favor Embank in every way, Antin would catch Eubank with a few solid hooks to the head as the fight progressed and in doing so, was able to provide him with something that can be at times elusive for young prospects on the rise regardless of their lineage, a stern test.

At least for this fight, Eubank showed he could take a punch and not only was able to take the best that Antin could throw at him including some roughhouse tactics, but he also showed that he could stay focused on the task of executing his fight plan. In rounds six and seven, Eubank would score a knockdown in each round as a result of some effective work to Antin 's body. Antin was very "Game" in getting up from the knockdowns and, despite being clearly out of the fight on the official scorecards, under circumstances where he could have said he had, had enough, he continued the fight all the way to the final bell.

A clear and wide unanimous decision in favor of Eubank was no surprise at the conclusion of the scheduled ten round bout. What this fight did for Eubank beyond allowing him to box against a late replacement was by producing a solid performance under those circumstances and also passing what was likely the first test of his career, he has now emerged on the Jr. Welterweight radar. Given the name recognition he brings to the table, it would not be surprising from a business standpoint to see an attempt to move him towards world title contention. 

Based on this performance, it may not be too long before an attempt towards that is made. The development of a fighter however, is truly a delicate balancing act, and it might be wise to give him a few more fights now as a 17-0 prospect before trying to move him against the top contenders in the talent-deep 140lb. Jr. Welterweight division.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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