Conor Benn has outlined the reasons behind agreeing to a legacy clash.
The 25-year-old welterweight will step up in weight and class later this year to take on Chris Eubank Jr.
The pair, sons of legends Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, will collide at a catchweight of 157 pounds on October 8 at the O2 Arena in London.
And Benn, undefeated since turning professional in April 2016, believes now is the time to renew the rivalry between the two families, a day short of 29 years after the fathers’ rematch ended in a draw at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
Speaking at the launch presser in London for the fight that will be screened exclusively live on DAZN worldwide and DAZN Pay-Per-View in the UK and Ireland, Benn said:
“This is a fight that makes sense for now, the world title is still the goal but this is once in a lifetime, this is a fight for the British public.
“Eubank was mentioned [as a potential opponent] for me before I even made my debut and the stars have aligned.”
Benn has followed 32-year-old Eubank Jr into the paid code and into the quest of removing himself from the shadow of his father.
“We both walked the same road and you have to respect him as a fighter but when we get in there we have to settle the family business.
“The last fight was a draw [between Nigel and Chris Sr] and I need to set the record straight.”
In the same presser, Eubank Jr. (32-2, 23 KOs) stated that he would not need to be at 100 per cent to beat his rival:
“I’ll be 60 per cent on the night and that’ll be enough to do whatever I want with you,”
Eubank, who has boxed as high as super-middleweight and is set to be depleted to the lowest weight of his career for the fight, with a rehydration clause and a hefty £100,000-per-pound fine for either fighter who tips the scales over the agreed limit.
“If I lose to Conor Benn, I am finished.”
Benn, however, disagrees with those sentiments and believes he’ll be the man to hand Jr. a first stoppage defeat:
“I haven’t failed to deliver yet, I haven’t tasted defeat and I don’t intend to taste defeat on October 8.”