Chris Eubank Sr has said he was “extremely disappointed” by his son Jr slapping Conor Benn with an egg last month.
On 26 April, Eubank Jr and Benn are due to clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, more than 30 years after Eubank Sr and Conor’s father Nigel fought each other for the final time. In 1990, Eubank Sr beat Nigel Benn; in 1993, the British legends fought to a draw.
While the fathers’ rivalry was storied, Eubank Jr and Conor Benn have forged their own grudge, which led the former to slap his rival in the face with an egg last month. That press-conference stunt was a reference to Benn’s two failed drug tests in 2022, which derailed a planned bout with Eubank Jr that year, and which the WBC said could have been caused by “elevated consumption of eggs”.
On social media on Wednesday (12 March), Eubank Sr addressed the incident, for which Eubank Jr was fined £100,000 this week.
“If I would excuse Jr’s misconduct because he is my son, then I wouldn’t be fit to be the authority in boxing that I am!” Eubank Sr wrote on X (formerly Twitter). In an attached video, the 58-year-old said: “Where did that come from? You know, I’m supposed to be his example. Christopher Livingstone Eubank Jr is remarkable to have actually navigated this quagmire.
“He said: ‘Dad, people aren’t like you. What you’re about is not what boxing is about today.’ He said: ‘These people swearing and being rude, this is normal to me. The world you knew, dad, doesn’t exist anymore.’ To which I said: ‘Help me! Help me, because we are Great Britain – that’s who we are.’”
Eubank Sr and Jr seemingly had the conversation in question on 7 March, when Jr’s cousin Harlem fought in Brighton. Yet just this week, Eubank Jr opened up on the rift that still exists between himself and his father.
In any case, in an interview with The Ring on Thursday, Eubank Sr added: “I was extremely disappointed by the incident at the press conference [and] his choice to use profanity. Such behaviour does not reflect the conduct I have instilled in him. The Eubank legacy is built on discipline, respect, and professionalism, and this incident falls short of those values. It’s crucial that we uphold the dignity of our sport and the principles that define us.
“Jr has been taught that the warrior’s path is one of honour and integrity. This path requires fierce discipline and concentration, indomitable will and resolve, and steadfast honour and integrity. Such actions that he chose to take at the press conference undermine the very essence of what it means to be a warrior in the ring.
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“We must remember that our actions, both inside and outside of the ring, reflect not only on ourselves but on the sport as a whole. Our behavior echoes into eternity. Every step we take can affect generations, for better or worse. Therefore, we must be mindful of our actions, as they have lasting impacts beyond the immediate moment.”
Discussing his recent talk with Jr, Eubank Sr added: “The moment was, as it always is, meaningful. I love my son, just as I love all my children, and I’m deeply grateful for each of them. Seeing him again, I could tell he’s grown. There’s a wisdom in his face and demeanour that wasn’t there before.
“No matter what has happened, I will always have Jr’s back. As a father, I know what to look for. When you’ve lived long enough, you can see it: the shift. The naivety that once lived in his eyes? It’s gone. Replaced by experience.
“Experience isn’t something you just read about or get from being told. It comes from going through it, from making mistakes. from taking the hits that life throws. And that’s what I saw in him: someone who’s been through the fire, shaped by his own journey. But like all of us, the journey isn’t over yet.”
