Ben Shalom, Chris Eubank Jr’s promoter through his company Boxxer, has opened up on the difficulties behind the scenes over the failed Conor Benn fight from three years ago.
For years, both boxers traded verbal barbs and a meeting in the ring was nailed on with a date set up in October 2022 at the O2 Arena, London.
However, the fight was postponed after Benn tested positive for a banned substance – a ruling that has rocked his career but one he managed to overturn.
Now Benn and Eubank Jr finally have the chance to settle their differences and a fight has reportedly been scheduled for April 26 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr finally look set to settle their differences
PA
If they finally touch gloves, it will be a bout that has been literally years in the making and one that boxing promoter Shalom has been left dizzy over.
Speaking to BetFred, the Boxxer chief explained how the hatred between the two fighters made it even more difficult to clinch any sort of agreement.
“Unbelievable,” Shalom said. “The thing about Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn is that it’s bigger than boxing, and there’s very few events that are, so of course getting it over the line was tricky.
“We weren’t involved in the first scheduled fight with the chaos surrounding the drug testing and failed drugs tests, so we came into an absolute car crash, which involved two fighters that absolutely hate each other.
“They don’t even want to talk to each other or give anything, but it was the fight to make.
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“Both fighters were talking about doing other fights and all this, but we always knew that this was the fight to make.
“It was hard, everything was an argument. For me, Chris Eubank Jr. is far and away the A side and bigger name and of course I’m going to say that.
“But I think his resume proves that and the fights he’s been in before prove that, but we were dealing with a tricky character and another promoter in Matchroom.
Ben Shalom has defended Chris Eubank Jr during the whole debacle
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“It was almost like full circle, I have to be honest, because when I came into the sport, probably Matchroom at the time, even though that’s changed now with Frank Warren, were the leaders and they were trying to make our life very, very difficult.
“So to come full circle and be at the negotiating table for Eubank Jr. vs Benn is a crazy story and boxing’s full of crazy stories.
“We finally got it over the line with the help of His Excellency (Turki Al-Sheikh) because he was able to take ego out of the window and Conor didn’t have to see how much Chris was earning, which I think was half the battle.
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Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn might finally meet in April
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“The interest in it is huge, the history is huge and it’s definitely one that will go down in the history books and be remembered for a very long time.
“So I’m delighted to be involved in what I believe will be the biggest show in British boxing, if not boxing, this year.”
As of February 5, 2025, no major broadcaster has picked up the rights to the upcoming fight – potentially wary considering the problems last time.