Conor Benn has insisted that he is “not waiting around” for a rematch with “scared” Chris Eubank Jr after their planned bout seemingly fell apart.
In April, Eubank Jr outpointed Benn in a thrilling contest at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where their rematch is – or was – intended to take place in September.
However, it was suggested on Thursday by Benn and Eddie Hearn, his promoter, that plans had been shelved, with “The Destroyer” stating that “this rematch falling apart had nothing to do with me”.
With further goals of world title glory in his sights, Benn has added that he will not stand around waiting for Eubank Jr to agree on a revised date.
‘’I’m not waiting,” he told Sky Sports. “I’m not waiting around. I feel like my career has sort of been on hold to give the fans this fight, and I’m glad that the fight delivered, but now I’ve got to just tick the box off on my personal goals, which is winning a WBC world title.
“It’s either [moving back down to] 147lbs for me or the rematch. I’m ready to honour my side of the agreement, which was a two-fight deal [at middleweight] and it’s safe to say he’s scared. He almost lost. It could have gone either way. To a welterweight.”
There are claims that Eubank Jr is seeking a rematch with Benn in November, a date which Riyadh Season and Sela are considering, according to Ring Magazine.
Benn’s April defeat by Eubank Jr marked a unique extension of their fathers’ rivalry in the 1990s, when Chris Sr beat Nigel Benn before the Britons fought to a draw in their rematch.
Benn’s sentiment on the situation echoes that of Hearn, who told talkSPORT on Thursday: “Obviously, we have a two-fight deal with Chris Eubank Jr. His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] has told Eubank that 20 September is the date.
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“As I understand it, there has been a little bit of radio silence from Eubank. Part of me feels like he might not fight again. Obviously, that was a very taxing fight with Conor Benn.
“Hamzah Sheeraz is now in place to fight [Saul] ‘Canelo’ Alvarez if he comes through [Terence] Crawford, so Eubank is in limbo if he doesn’t take the Conor Benn fight.
“Maybe physically, he doesn’t want to go to war again. If he doesn’t, the whole world wants to fight Conor Benn right now.”
The Greenwich-born bruiser has even urged Eubank Jr, 35, to retire from the sport to prevent the rematch saga from being drawn out.
“Take it, take it. Just take the win. Take the win. Your dad didn’t want the rematch of my dad,” he said.
“Sail off into the sunset. You’re done, and you move on, and I move on and secure my legacy of winning the world title.”
If a rematch does not go ahead, Hearn has touted Shakur Stevenson as Benn’s next opponent, who outpointed William Zependa on the undercard of Hamzah Sheeraz’s title eliminator with Edgar Berlanga on Saturday – which Sheeraz emerged victorious in.
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