Eddie Hearn left Tottenham Hotspur Stadium balancing pride in Conor Benn’s bravery with concern over what another twelve rounds against a naturally bigger man might do to the 28-year-old. Moments after Chris Eubank Jr’s wide 116-112 triple scorecard, Hearn reminded reporters the contract already contains a rematch clause, but insisted the next negotiation must push Eubank “a little bit lower than 160” if Benn is to risk it. The Matchroom boss said the punishment Benn absorbed in the final four rounds convinced him such contests “can shorten a career,” and that Benn’s decade-long runway should not be burned up chasing a legacy rivalry at the wrong weight.
Whether Eubank entertains another drain is doubtful. The 35-year-old, whose frame has campaigned as high as super-middleweight, required a £375,000 fine simply to reach 160.05 lb on Friday; a second-day check showed him clinging to 169.4 lb, the ceiling set by their rehydration clause. Privately Team Eubank say middleweight is as low as they will go unless Saudi money eclipses what Tottenham delivered. Benn’s side counter that facing true welterweights like Jaron Ennis or Brian Norman Jr. would be a different sort of danger without the financial upside or back-story.
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Hearn’s post-fight numbers underscore the dilemma. Benn threw 712 punches to Eubank’s 587, but landed at a 22 percent clip and shipped 46 power shots in rounds eight through twelve alone, according to CompuBox. By the final bell Benn’s left eye was closing and his punch resistance looked stretched. Hearn acknowledged “the terms are set,” meaning a rehydration cap would remain; still, he framed the rematch as an “if,” not a “when,” until medicals and family discussions take place.
For Eubank the incentive is clear: a second victory nets another big purse without the risk of an elite 160-pound shark such as Janibek Alimkhanuly or Carlos Adames. For Benn a second defeat could confirm suspicions he is a career welter forced into a narrative two divisions north. If negotiations stall, both have alternate routes: Eubank is on Sky’s short list for Liam Smith III, while Hearn floated Benn-Florian Marku at 147.
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