
via Imago
20th April 2019, O2 Arena, London, England; Matchroom Boxing, Dave Allen and Derek Chisora; Undercard fight as Conor Benn after his victory against Josef Zahradnik PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxSWExNORxDENxFINxONLY ActionPlus12126203 ShaunxBrooks

via Imago
20th April 2019, O2 Arena, London, England; Matchroom Boxing, Dave Allen and Derek Chisora; Undercard fight as Conor Benn after his victory against Josef Zahradnik PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxSWExNORxDENxFINxONLY ActionPlus12126203 ShaunxBrooks
When you decide to open fire, make sure it not only hits the target but also rattles the onlookers. Perhaps Nigel Benn knows this wartime wisdom all too well. At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday, his son, Conor Benn, will step into the ring against Chris Eubank Jr., the son of his former rival. And ahead of this explosive clash, ‘Daddy-Cool’ decided to share some behind-the-scenes intel.
Perhaps Eubank Jr. was the intended target. However, it’s evident that the shockwaves from his revelation could travel far and wide, both in distance and time. Speaking about a sparring session between Conor Benn and William Scull, Nigel Benn revealed that his son had literally shaken up the IBF super middleweight champion. Now, as most boxing fans know, the Cuban-born Scull is slated to face none other than Canelo Alvarez on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And with that massive fight on the horizon, such unsettling reports could potentially damage his momentum heading into what may be the biggest bout of his career.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Conor Benn turns up the heat on super middleweight champ
Right from the moment Kugan Cassius got in touch with him, Nigel Benn didn’t hold back. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but what happens in Mallorca, I’m telling you everything,” said the former super middleweight champion. To showcase just how sharp and dangerous his son is, Benn walked through a series of sparring sessions from their Mallorca training camp.

via Imago
November 1, 2019, London, United Kingdom: Conor Benn attends the Rise of The Footsoldier 4: Marbella UK Premiere, VIP red carpet arrivals at The Troxy in London. London United Kingdom PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY – ZUMAs197 20191101zaas197150 Copyright: xKeithxMayhewx
He started with a British ABA champion, someone Conor Benn handled with ease, merely ‘playing’ with him. Then came British middleweight Denzel Bentley, who gave his son a tougher test. Next was Bruno Surace. The man who famously knocked out Jaime Munguia. According to Nigel Benn, Conor had ‘no problem’ in dealing with him.
But then came the big one. William Scull, the IBF super middleweight champion, and Nigel Benn’s most serious benchmark of the camp.
Nigel recounted the moment with conviction. Repeating, “God is my witness,” he said at first he didn’t realize who Scull was when he walked into the gym. The sparring started well, but by rounds four and five, Scull was clearly feeling it. He said, “Oh no, I need a minute. Connor only does four 40-second rights. Then afterwards, about round four and five, he was sitting down on the ring cushion on the ring rope cuz he was kind of tired.”
As rounds six and seven progressed, the tempo took its toll on Scull. Then came round eight.
What’s your perspective on:
Is Nigel Benn's intel a strategic move to unsettle Eubank Jr. before the big showdown?
Have an interesting take?
Will Team Canelo take note of this sparring session?
“Connor put it on him,” said Nigel Benn. “What did he do? Stop sparring, William Scull. And these are all like light heavies. They weren’t, like, you know, they weren’t like, you know, at weight. He’s not at weight yet, but I’m telling you the truth, Connor put it on him. He couldn’t even come out for the eighth round, God is my witness,” said Nigel Benn. To back up the account, Nigel even called in eyewitnesses from the gym to corroborate the story.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
View this post on Instagram
It’s hard to say. But with just a week left before Scull faces the biggest fight of his life, it might not be the kind of buzz he wants circulating. Most fans and pundits aren’t expecting him to beat Canelo on May 3. Still, if Scull can hold his own, perhaps even go the distance, as Edgar Berlanga did before, it could keep his momentum alive and open doors in the stacked 168-pound division.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
But if the sparring reports are accurate, and if Scull falters against Canelo, this kind of expose might only deepen doubts. Both competitively and commercially, it risks undermining his standing, especially at a time when perception can shape opportunity.
What do you think? Can a sparring session truly foreshadow what happens under the lights on fight night?
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Is Nigel Benn's intel a strategic move to unsettle Eubank Jr. before the big showdown?