Chris Eubank Jrās Father Wants Canelo Alvarez to Snub Terence Crawford for 35 YO Champion: āThat Makes Senseā
āI will not be an accomplice to their stupidity, their circus,ā Chris Eubank Sr. stated vehemently only yesterday when asked about Chris Eubank Jrās fight next week. While Nigel Benn has been fully hands-on in his son Conor Bennās training camp ahead of the highly anticipated fight with Chris Eubank Jr., things are a bit different on the other side. Chris Eubank Sr, who once mentored and trained his son during the early stages of his career, is no longer involved. Their relationship is a bit torn at the moment, with the British boxing legend publicly bashing his sonās next fight.
In a blunt and scathing admission, Eubank Sr shut down the idea of him even visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 26th April. His main issue? The weight disparity between the two combatants. Conor Benn, a natural welterweight at 147lbs, is moving up to Eubank Jrās middleweight territory at 160lbs. Even with a 10lbs rehydration clause in the contract meant to level the playing field, Eubank Sr isnāt ready to accept itāhe insists the fight goes āagainst the rulesā of the sport. Interestingly, though, there is one fight he does back for his son: Chris Eubank Jr vs. Canelo Alvarez. Why?
Eubank Sr. not a fan of Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford
āLadies and gentlemen! Iād back Eubank Jr. vs Canelo ā And hereās why. New episode of #callchriseubank is out now,ā Chris Eubank Sr. posted on his X handle earlier today. In the clip, Eubank Sr. started the conversation with the highly anticipated matchup of September this year. As far as heās concerned, itās just not a realistic fight. Why? A very obvious answerāweight classes. āAs much as we may want to see a Canelo against Crawford, the weights are wrong and so it can not happen,ā he stated emphatically.
A stickler for weight classes in boxing, Eubank Sr. isnāt too keen on the idea of Terence Crawford moving up in weight just to make the fight happen. Bud Crawford would have to bulk up significantly, stepping way outside his natural comfort zone just to meet the bigger Canelo Alvarez at 167 lbs, where Canelo is sure to have an advantage. That kind of physical leap could throw off everything that makes Crawford great. For Eubank Sr., that kind of mismatch doesnāt sit right either for Canelo-Crawford or for the upcoming Eubank-Benn fight.
āThe fight you should be looking for is the Chris Eubank Jr. against a Canelo.ā Why? Because, as he puts it, āThat makes sense.ā And honestly, heās got a point. If Eubank Jr. and Canelo face off, thereās no major weight cutting or bulking up involvedāCanelo fights at super middleweight, and Eubank Jr. is a natural middleweight, even holding the IBO middleweight title. Theyāre in the same neighborhood, weight-wise. Even age-wise, theyāre pretty close. Itās a matchup that feels balanced, and from a boxing perspective, thatās important. Plus, for Eubank Sr., seeing his 35-year-old champion son step into the ring with a global star like Canelo Alvarez would be a huge moment, way more meaningful than fighting a younger, less proven opponent.
And that brings us to Conor Benn. The fact that Benn is moving up in weight to meet Eubank Jr. says a lot. For Eubank Sr., the Canelo fight isnāt just logicalāitās strategic. Itās a bigger name, a better matchup, and a chance for his son to elevate his career rather than risk it all in a grudge match that could turn sour if he loses.
But letās not forget how much Eubank Sr. respects Terence Crawford. Heās not dismissing the 37-year-oldās talent. In fact, he praised him heavily. He called Crawford āA brilliant, talented, fabulous and an extraordinary champion of the old school.ā And then he made an important point: āOld school has to become new school.ā In other words, Crawfordās mindset, dedication, and style should be the blueprint for the next generation. However, the thing isāwhether Chris Eubank Sr. supports the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford matchup or not, itās still a fight that could very well happen. And the same goes for the showdown between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr.āregardless of Sr.ās disapproval, that fight is happening.