Boxing’s got more father-son duos than a parent-teacher conference! From Guty Espadas Jr. receiving wisdom from his dad, to Lamont Roach Jr. soaking up game from his old man, the sport is filled with dynasties chasing glory side by side. But not every tale is all hugs and hand pads—just ask Chris Eubank Jr. and his father, Chris Eubank Sr. 

The 35-year-old Eubank Jr. is about to enter the ring for perhaps the biggest fight of his career. The Sussex native will lock horns with generational rival Conor Benn, the son of legendary boxer Nigel Benn, tonight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, ahead of the match, there seem to be issues enduring between Eubank Jr. and his father. 

Are Chris Eubank Jr. and his father still speaking?

As rocky as things are now between the father and son, it wasn’t always this way. Once upon a time, the Eubanks were a tight-knit team. But the cracks began to show in 2019, when Chris Eubank Jr. decided it was time to step out of his father’s towering shadow. Up to that point, Eubank Sr. had been the captain of the ship, training, managing, and often stealing the spotlight.

But Jr.? He was ready to chart his own course, and that’s when the gloves really started to come off. Tensions between them reached a fever pitch when Eubank Jr. pushed for autonomy, choosing new trainers like Roy Jones Jr., David Haye, and even Floyd Mayweather Sr. This came off as a rejection of his guidance to Eubank Sr. The split was then worsened by the 2021 death of Eubank Jr.’s brother, Sebastian.

Eubank Sr. was even opposed to his son fighting Conor Benn back in October 2022 due to weight concerns. Not to mention, Senior openly criticized his son’s career choices, which further escalated the rift between them. As Eubank Jr. heads into this fight against Benn, he has revealed that he is not on good terms with his father, suggesting reconciliation efforts haven’t been successful. This means the father-son duo aren’t on talking terms.

Chris Eubank Sr. reveals the real reason he won’t corner his son

Chris Eubank Sr. has made it abundantly clear that he will not be in his son’s corner for the upcoming grudge match against Conor Benn, calling the fight a “circus” and blasting both the matchmaking and his son’s behavior in the build-up.

“I will not be an accomplice to their stupidity, their circus,” Eubank Sr. told Seconds Out. The British boxing icon is particularly critical of the weight discrepancy, with Benn moving up from welterweight (147lbs) to face Eubank Jr. at middleweight (160lbs), despite a 10lbs rehydration clause.

“It’s against the rules what is happening,” he declared. “147lbs fighting 160lbs is against the rules… For promoters, it is just a game, but to the warriors, it is a way of life.” Eubank Sr. also took issue with his son’s conduct in the lead-up, referencing the press conference where Eubank Jr. smashed an egg in Benn’s face.

“Junior, you are smashing an egg against this guy’s face… I taught you that? I didn’t teach you that… That is disgraceful. I would never have been in your corner; that is a disgrace.” Eubank Jr. has clarified that the reason he smashed an egg on Benn’s face was in response to the explanation given for Benn’s positive drug test ahead of their initially scheduled fight in October 2022.

According to the WBC, the failed test was attributed to an excessive consumption of eggs. Regardless, the father-son relationship has been strained for years, worsened by the tragic death of Eubank Sr.’s other son, Sebastian. Though the two recently exchanged words for the first time in two years, the rift remains wide.

“We are not trash, we are the standard bearers,” Eubank Sr. insisted. “If you’re not noble, this vocation will kill you.”

Father breaks down, pleads to cancel Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn

Chris Eubank Sr. has emotionally pleaded for the cancellation of his son’s fight against Conor Benn, claiming the bout is driven solely by money and poses serious risks. Speaking to IFL TV, the former world champion was visibly shaken. “I’m so hurt by this, by what’s happened to him… my son will not listen. For him, he’s being drawn into that ‘However many millions can I earn’.”

Eubank Sr. referenced past trauma, especially his 1991 win over Michael Watson, which left Watson in a coma and immobile for more than six years. “We are not a country of baboons, we are Great Britain… this is a disgrace.” Promoter Eddie Hearn defended the matchup, but Eubank Sr.’s plea was clear. “What does a dad do if the son can’t listen? The dad has to come and speak to the public directly.”

That said, it seems Chris Eubank Sr. is firmly against the idea of his son stepping into the ring with Conor Benn and has chosen not to be in his corner tonight. But is he overreacting, or are his concerns about the weight disparity justified?