There was nothing pleasant about the Conor Benn vs. Chris Eubank Jr. showdown on April 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Ahead of the blockbuster bout, the 35-year-old Eubank Jr. struggled to make the 160-pound limit on the morning of the weigh-ins. Despite multiple attempts, he came in slightly overweight and was fined $500,000 (£375,000). Given his history of fighting in higher weight classes, the weight cut was a challenge for the 35-year-old, though he did manage to come in under the contractually agreed 170 lbs on fight night. Still, his ordeal didn’t end there.

The drastic weight cut took a toll on Chris Eubank Jr., who was rushed to the hospital immediately after earning a unanimous decision win over Conor Benn. In addition to a visible gash over his eye, reports indicate he suffered from severe dehydration, likely caused by the cut down in weight. Nevertheless, a rematch between the two generational rivals was confirmed for September 20 by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Ring Magazine. Amid all the drama, however, Chris Eubank Sr. appears to hold a soft spot for Conor Benn.

A few hours ago, Sky Sports Boxing shared an Instagram post featuring a touching moment between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Sr. The caption read, “Conor Benn on the care Chris Eubank Sr showed him after his gruelling fight with Eubank Jr 🗣️.” During the clip, a reporter remarked, “It was like WWE that night when [Eubank] Sr. came out, but I think he genuinely cares for you.” Benn responded, “He does. Sr cares for me.”

Benn went on to describe a poignant scene from the hospital after the fight. “In hospital, when me and Eubank Jr. were both in hospital together, Sr and my dad as well, Sr. came up to my bed and just held my hand. And you could see, he was upset that we had this hard fight. You could see that he just cared about me. As a human, not as a fighter. And it was really weird because I am there with Senior. But then, in the same breath, you got my dad standing there, and then Junior.”

Reflecting on the moment, the 28-year-old called it “a real surreal moment,” adding, “I know Sr’s got nothing but love for me, and he cares about us fighters. He is talking through experience and what he’s been through. He doesn’t want us fighters to experience [that].” It seems Chris Eubank Sr. had genuine concerns about his son facing an opponent from a different weight class, fully aware of the risks involved if the rematch went ahead as planned. That could very well be one of the reasons why Chris Eubank Jr has yet to commit to the rematch.

Turki Alalshikh confirms grim update on Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn rematch

Just hours after news of the canceled rematch between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn went viral, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh appeared on the ThaBoxingVoice podcast for a quick interview. When host Nestor Gibbs asked whether the September 20 bout was officially off, HE Alalshikh didn’t mince words. “We stuck to date, we closed the date. We know that’s in that schedule, the fights must happen. If someone not commenting this, this is not our job, we are not charity,” the GEA chairman stated bluntly.

In simple terms, the Saudi Royal made it clear he wasn’t on board with delays from Eubank Jr.’s camp. And frankly, he didn’t care. With no shortage of hungry contenders eager for a Riyadh Season opportunity, HE Alalshikh made it known he’s moving on. “We have a lot of people on the line waiting for the opportunity. We will go with people who think and understand what we are doing for them,” he said, assuring that a suitable replacement for the main event will be announced soon.

And just like that, the rematch is all but dead, unless a dramatic turnaround happens soon. It may even be a wise move for the IBO middleweight champion, who now has the chance to fully pivot toward a blockbuster showdown with Canelo Alvarez in 2026. But that leaves one big question: what’s next for Conor Benn? What do you think?