Chris Eubank Sr's feud with son explained and why he wants Conor Benn fight cancelled

Chris Eubank Sr has made no secret of his opposition to his son's fight with Conor Benn this Saturday, urging for the showdown to be scrapped. Having played an instrumental role in Chris Eubank Jr's development in the squared circle, the elder Eubank was once a ubiquitous presence in Junior's corner, dispensing advice and leveraging his vast experience from his own days as a two-time world champion.

Yet, since 2019, he's been noticeably absent from his son's career. Reflecting on the dynamics with his father, Eubank Jr told last year: "He doesn't have a role which is pretty crazy because for a huge part of my career he was a massive part of everything, the business side, the press conferences, the training...He was always there and now he's not there for any of it."

Delving into the reasons behind moving away from his father's influence, the 35-year-old added: "I had to make that transition. I had to step out of that cycle because I felt it wasn't working and as my own man, I had learned enough and had done enough in the game to do my own thing, to walk my own path and not follow someone else.

"At this moment in time he's having trouble separating the business and the boxing and the coaching from being just my dad. For so many reasons that's how he was my dad so when that's not there, he doesn't know what to do, that's what he's dealing with right now.

"I think it's going to take me being out of boxing for him to come back into my life. I hope that's not the case but that's how I see it. I'm very appreciate of everything he did and everything he taught me throughout my life and my career but I want to be my own man and that's what I'm doing now."

The death of Eubank Jr's brother, Sebastian, in 2021 also "destroyed a large part" of the pugilist's already strained relationship with his father. Sebastian passed away in 2021 after suffering a heart attack in Dubai, and Eubank Jr told Piers Morgan's Uncensored how it further impacted his relationship with his dad.

He said: "You have the situation with my brother passing away. That affected him in a deep way - it affected all of us. Mental health is a real thing. That incident, coupled with the fact that we were already not seeing eye to eye, destroyed a large part of the relationship. And it still doesn't seem to have recovered."

Meanwhile, Eubank Jr's decision to continue his family's legacy by facing Benn, much like their fathers' famous feud in the 90s, hasn't sat well Eubank Sr. The now 58-year-old won the WBO middleweight title after defeating Nigel Benn via a ninth-round TKO in 1990, and then fought to a draw in their rematch in 1993.

However, Eubank Sr's disapproval stems not from their historical rivalry but from the significant weight class difference between his son and Nigel's. With most of Eubank Jr's career spent at middleweight and Benn's reputation rising in the lighter welterweight category, there's a notable size disparity.

The upcoming fight on Saturday is set to occur at 160lbs, with a strict hydration clause that prohibits either boxer from gaining more than 10lbs before fight night, but Eubank Sr still holds strong concerns. He said: "The rules is you don't do the wrong weights.

"Weights fight the same weights." He added: "They're breaking the rules. And when you break the rules, we have a country of baboons. This is Great Britain. We developed boxing. So, stick to the rules."

Despite an emotional olive branch from Eubank Jr, it seems unlikely that his dad will attend his fight on Saturday night. Elsewhere on 's Uncensored, he insisted: "I'm here. I'm getting ready for the biggest fight of my life.

"If you want to be next to me, like his father's next to him, we can do it together. If not, no hard feelings, I'll get the job done for you - don't worry about it. He's my old man. It doesn't matter if I don't talk to him until the day I die. I'm always gonna love him. He taught me everything. As far as I know, he doesn't want this fight to go ahead."

There have been positive developments in their rocky relationship recently, though, coming together at a fight event last month. At the time, Eubank Sr told : "The moment was meaningful. I love my son, just as I love all my children.

"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."