‘I want my revenge’ – Conor Benn hints he WILL activate Chris Eubank Jr rematch clause after thrilling fight
CONOR BENN hinted he will rematch Chris Eubank Jr in a bid for revenge.
Eubank Jr triumphed in this battle of generations with a unanimous 116-112 decision victory in front of 65,000 cheering fans on Saturday night.
The fight – three decades in the making after their legendary fathers duked it out twice in the 1990s – went down to the wire with both giving their all in the clash.
And just like the 90s, it was a Eubank – then Chris Eubank Sr – who claimed triumph.
He and Nigel Benn then played out a contentious draw three years later but never completed their trilogy.
However, tonight’s battle will not be the final chapter in the family feud thanks to a rematch clause inserted in the fight, which Benn declared he wants to trigger.
He said: “I want my revenge. I want revenge.
“I think inactivity played a big part it’s quite hard because obviously the past two-and-a-half years what had gone on.
“Not fighting back here and then coming home to this, it did take me back.
“In a good way and in a bad way when I’m sitting there going, ‘Oh my gosh, this is unbelievable.’
EUBANK JR VS BENN – BETTING TIPS AND LATEST ODDS
“And then in the same breathe it’s just a lot of new first times for me today. First stadium fight, first time fight back here in three years.
“First fight at 160, you know, I had Eubank hurt multiple times, three/four times in there, noticeably just couldn’t get a finish.”
Speaking after the heart-pumping win, Eubank hailed the “special” performance which this grudge-match had managed to extract from him.
He said: “I knew I was capable of that, I just needed someone to bring it out of me. I didn’t expect him to be the guy to do that. I guess the fact our fathers did it years ago.
“I pushed through. There’s a lot of things that have been going on. I’m happy to have this man [Eubank Sr] back with me. Neither was I [sure he’s be in the corner.] He needed to be here. It was special.”
Benn put his defeat down to his 14-months of inactivity outside of the ring, before declaring he wants the rematch.
He said: “14 months out of the ring. Inactivity must have been a factor. I felt it was a close fight. I’m not going to go ‘Yea, I think I won it and all that.’ It was close, I’ve got to watch it back.
“I stayed on the ropes a bit too long, he worked harder towards the end. I’m going to have to watch it back.”
“We knew he was a good fighter. All that talk is fighting talk. I feel like I can compete at 160lbs. I want the rematch, I’d love to avenge that loss.
“But it’s either the rematch or go and face [WBC and WBA super-lightweight champion] Mario Barrios.”
Both stars made the fighting legacy of their fathers – Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn – proud over the 12 rounds played out at the Tottenham Hostpur Stadium.
By round 12 both looked leggy but neither backed down as they continued to swing punches at one another despite their legs failing to work.
But pure grit and determination kept both “Next Gen” and “The Destroyer” on their feet before the final bell tolled.
Eubank Jr, who showed off his battle scars with a large cut above his right eye, dropped to his knees in the ring and let out a primal roar of victory after being crowned.
He was later taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after the savage bout.
Pre-fight the contest was marred by controversy over a failed drugs test during their originally scheduled showdown three years ago and an egg being thrown during a press conference.
Eubank Jr had also been granted an abrupt U-Turn of support from his father after the pair had seemingly gone their separate ways after six years of a public fallout in their relationship.
But Eubank Sr delighted the Wembley crowd as he turned up in a car at the stadium before greeting his son and joining him for the ring walk.
And the spectacle in the ring more than matched the build-up with neither boxer willing to give any quarter.
CHRIS EUBANK JR VS CONOR BENN LIVE: ALL THE LATEST FROM HUGE GRUDGE MATCH