“We can’t run amok. We are not a country of baboons. He’s looking at only the money. My son will not listen.” That’s Chris Eubank Sr talking. Not just upset, but “disgusted” because Chris Eubank Jr., despite his father’s contention, has decided to go ahead with a fight against Conor Benn. Eubank Sr’s refusal to endorse the fight, like Conor Benn’s father Nigel Benn, lies in his belief that “It’s against the rules.” That’s why he’s even unimpressed with the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez bout in September. His reason? Weight classes exist for a reason, and they must be respected. So Conor Benn, climbing up from welterweight to middleweight to fight his son, is something Chris Eubank Sr. is refusing to approve.

So right now, he’s not standing in Jr’s corner. “I’d never be in your corner. You’re a disgrace,” he emphatically stated a few days ago to Seconds Out. Harsh words from a father who once cheered his son on through the amateurs. Meanwhile, Nigel Benn—Eubank Sr’s legendary rival from the 90s is all in when it comes to backing his own son, Conor Benn. As Chris Jr and Conor Benn prepare to settle the score next weekend at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Nigel spoke to The Ring’s Louis Hart regarding his rival’s stance, regarding the fight.

No other way, but to move on

So, what does Nigel Benn really think about Chris Eubank Jr’s father not being involved in his son’s fight? Honestly, the former WBC super-middleweight champion’s pretty upset about it. When asked about Sr’s reluctance, Nigel Benn said he doesn’t like how Eubank Sr is publicly putting his son down. “Well, I actually heard some comments about it. And I’m really kind of upset, really,” he continued. And with such kind of behavior from Eubank Sr., “I don’t know. Publicly putting his son down or slagging his son, I don’t think it’s right. I don’t like it,” Benn Sr. admitted. And you can hear the disappointment in his voice.

And it looks like Nigel Benn also has a message for his 35+ year-old rival. “I wish them both would get their heads together,” he suggested. For Nigel Benn, it’s simple. No matter what’s happened, “At the end of the day, that’s your son and that’s your father.” And is it tough seeing all this play out so publicly? Absolutely. “When it’s very publicly, what’s going on [even] if it’s behind closed doors, they both should get together, talk it out,” Benn Sr. added as he understands the pain all too well, having faced a similar situation with his own son. But that’s not all.

The ‘Dark Destroyer’ said it plainly, “At the end of the day I don’t want to see Chris [Sr.] fall out with his son. It’s horrible. It’s absolutely horrible. I wanted it [the April 26th fight] to be a family affair.” But now? It’s all gone sideways. And you can tell—it hurts him to see that. So what’s the solution?

“Just move in love,” he advised. Nigel Benn might’ve been a warrior in the ring, but right here? He’s just a dad who knows how much it means to be there for your kid. So far, there’s been no new word from Chris Eubank Sr. But with or without his father’s support, Chris Eubank Jr is moving forward.

Chris Eubank Jr. is fighting for more than just glory

A few days ago, Chris Eubank Jr. took to Instagram and made it clear: “The mission will be completed, April 26.” Alongside the post, he shared a clip that gave fans a raw, unfiltered look into the mental toll of being a fighter. “It’s the loneliest, cruelest profession you could possibly imagine,” he said. And if you stop to think about it, he’s not wrong. No teammates, no backup, no second chances. “When the bell goes, there is no help. You are alone,” he admitted. So, how does he handle all that pressure?

By turning everything off. “Whether it’s hostile, whether it’s a fight, whether it’s a press conference,” he said, his heart rate doesn’t even change anymore. He’s trained himself to be numb to the noise. “Your job as a professional fighter is to just prepare yourself for each and every outcome. That is what a training camp is about. That is what living the life of a fighter is about.” And that mental armor? It’s going to matter more than ever as he steps into the ring with Conor Benn in a few days.

Now, make no mistake. This fight isn’t just another bout on the schedule. For Eubank Jr., “It’s extremely personal.” Sure, their fathers had a legendary rivalry, but this one? It has its own energy, its own intensity. “Now me and Conor have our own story. Our own narrative. Which is now… maybe even bigger than what our fathers had,” he said.

And the 34-3 boxer is not even exaggerating. This isn’t about settling old scores from the 90s, this is about defining his own legacy. He’s walking in to prove something for himself—as a fighter, as a man, and as someone determined to write a new chapter in the Eubank name.