Eubank Jr talks of family pain ahead of Benn fight

Chris Eubank Jr changed his approach on Thursday, talking about his feelings not his opponent in the highly-anticipated press conference ahead of the grudge bout against British rival Conor Benn.

The pair's long feud escalated in February when Eubank Jr. slapped Benn with an egg at an event to promote the bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Benn had blamed his two failed drugs tests, which resulted in their 2022 bout being cancelled, on the over-consumption of eggs.

Chris Eubank Sr. fought Benn's father Nigel twice in the 1990s and their tetchy relationship has fuelled the animosity between their sons.

After the egg incident, Eubank Sr., no stranger to pre-fight needling in his prime, labelled his son "a disgrace".

On Thursday, the two fighters sat at opposite ends of the stage as they met the media ahead of Saturday's fight.

After heckling Benn's manager Eddie Hearn off stage, Eubank Jr., sounding like his father, struck a philosophical note asking "what is pain?"

😢 @ChrisEubankJr opens up on what pain is to him.

It really does put boxing into perspective.

🎬 @ringmagazine #EubankBenn | @ChrisEubankJr pic.twitter.com/G0Tyg9bC6j

— IFL TV (@IFLTV) April 24, 2025

"My own father, a man I idolised for my entire life, doesn't speak to me. We haven't spoken for years and he thinks I'm a disgrace," he said.

"I have a 31-year-old brother who is buried in the desert in Dubai, that is pain. I have his son, three years old, he asks why can't I see my daddy? Why can't he take me to school? That is pain."

"These things are what pain is to me," Eubank Jr. said. "The weight cut, the rehydration clause, these are all things that are not an issue, that are not important."

When he turned to the fight, Eubank Jr. took another shot at Benn.

"I know what's coming. I've prepared my whole life for these moments. I've put in the time, I've dedicated decades to this sport and I've done it all without cheating, without cutting any corners and I'm proud of that," he said.

Benn was less talkative.

"This is what I do. I love this game. This is what I live for. This is every fighter's dream when they turn professional," he said. "I'm more prepared and I'm more than ready.

"I'm coming here to take his head off."