Eddie Hearn insists Conor Benn will fight on September 20 - but perhaps not against Chris Eubank Jr, after fresh doubt surfaced over their much-anticipated rematch. Benn’s promoter revealed Eubank’s team has yet to sign off on identical terms to April’s first meeting, when a strict 10-lb second-day rehydration cap left the naturally bigger Eubank drained and hospital-bound despite his unanimous-decision win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
According to Hearn, Riyadh Season organisers have issued Eubank an ultimatum: same date, same weight conditions, or step aside. Eubank’s manager Elliott Amoakoh has lawyers steering negotiations, but the 35-year-old appears hesitant to endure another brutal cut to 170 lbs. “If Eubank messes around - if his bum goes for the fight - we’ve got to look at other options,” Hearn warned, adding that Benn’s camp will not “wait around.”
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Both fighters had publicly embraced a sequel following their crowd-pleasing first bout, and Turki Alalshikh’s backing seemed to lock in a London stadium return. Yet the sticking point remains the rehydration clause that skewed the physical playing field the first time around. Hearn is adamant the terms won’t change; Eubank’s camp, mindful of the health scare that followed victory, may see the scales differently.
For Benn missing Eubank would disrupt a redemption arc still shadowed by his 2022 doping controversy. For Eubank refusing the cut risks accusations of back-tracking after calling for the trilogy. The clock is ticking: either both men make weight under old rules, or Benn’s September spotlight could feature a new rival.
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