Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn Betting Tips
A contest we have waited years for will finally take place on Saturday as bitter rivals Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn go head-to-head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
This bout is based on family rivalry as the two fighters’ fathers met in a pair of brutal battles during the early 1990s.
Eubank Jr (34-3, 25 KOs) and Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) were initially supposed to meet in 2022 but a suspension handed out to the latter delayed matters and turned what was a simmering rivalry into an all-out grudge match.
Eubank Jr is the more experienced fighter and the natural middleweight, with Benn making the step up after spending the majority of his career at welterweight.
However, Benn comes into the contest with an unbeaten record and Eubank Jr has tasted defeat three times in a 37-fight career.
Tip 1 – Fight to go the distance - No @ 4/9
Both of these fighters have promised knockouts and a good starting point for this bout, even at an odds-on price, is backing an early finish.
The obvious animosity between Eubank Jr and Benn suggests there will be plenty of action as both men look to make statements but, even if that personal grudge didn’t exist, there are plenty of reasons the judges won’t be required.
Benn has a 23-0 record with 14 stoppages and he developed a real reputation as a knockout artist before his suspension.
The Destroyer has competed in two low-key bouts since his initial ban and both of those fights have gone the full distance – but he perhaps wasn’t at his best in either of those outings and we should expect a better version of Benn this time.
Eubank Jr isn’t necessarily regarded as a heavy-hitter in the middleweight division but he still boasts a knockout rate of just under 74%, and he’s also been stopped once himself.
The step up from welterweight to middleweight is a big gulf in size; previously the likes of Amir Khan and Kell Brook have fallen short when trying to make the move up the divisions.
Khan was stopped by Canelo Alvarez in the sixth and Brook was stopped by Gennady Golovkin after five rounds.
In terms of the match-ups Golovkin vs Brook is probably the closest type of fight to the one we’ll see at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In that contest, the weight and power advantages Golovkin had just proved too much for Brook to handle with injury also contributing to that early finish.
Benn will know his best route to victory will be to try and do some early damage to force the issue as Eubank Jr’s size advantage will have a bigger impact the longer the fight goes on.
Eubank should carry enough power to force a stoppage at almost any point in the bout if he is able to connect with a big shot – or simply by the sheer volume of power punches landed – and whatever the result it is hard to see this fight reaching the final bell.
Tip 2 – Eubank Jr by KO, TKO or DQ @ 11/8
Eubank Jr is 3/5 to win the bout but, as it seems unlikely the judges will be called upon, it makes sense to look at the bigger man to win via stoppage.
Fighters who enjoy success when they are moving up through the divisions tend to be the technical fighters or those with better defence and movement.
Benn has a more aggressive approach and there is a good chance he could try to take the fight to Eubank Jr and potentially even be open to standing and trading at various intervals.
This could be his undoing and Eubank Jr’s superior size and power should start to dictate things after a few rounds if Benn isn’t able to make any real impact himself.
As a technician, Eubank Jr is perhaps underrated and he has a decent jab that he should be able to connect with as Benn bids to close the distance.
A showreel knockout might not be on the cards but the volume of shots taken may eventually tell on the smaller man and Eubank Jr has the tools and the ability to get the job done inside the distance.
Tip 3 – Eubank Jr to win in rounds 10-12 @ 17/2
Anyone looking for an outside bet may consider Eubank Jr to win in the final three rounds.
Benn has never been beaten in the professional ranks and is clearly a tough and durable fighter.
Eubank Jr’s stoppages tend to come from an accumulation of shots landed rather than from one-visit attacks and his last two wins have come inside the second half of his fights.
The later rounds seem the more likely point when this one could end.
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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation