Chris Eubank Jr's weight cut has turned this fight on its head - from physicality to temperament, here's where the Conor Benn clash will be won or lost, writes JOHNNY NELSON
Proper news from Britain - News from Britain you won’t find anywhere else. Not the tosh the big media force-feed you every day!
- Boxing legend Johnny Nelson has given his expert prediction for the showdown
- Sign up to Mail+ today to join our more than 170,000 subscribers and get access to the best boxing from our world-class team of insiders
On Saturday night, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host one of the most talked about grudge matches in British boxing.
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will finally step into the ring, two-and-a-half years on from their October 2022 bout being scrapped due to the latter failing two drug tests.
Eubank Jr was fined after smashing Benn around the face with an egg at their launch press conference in February, after his rival claimed eating too many of them may have caused his positive tests.
Both men have claimed the bout has become more personal after initially being a fight sold on family legacy after Eubank and Benn Sr fought twice in the 1990s.
The build-up seen Eubank Sr call for the fight to be cancelled over safety fears and vowed not to be present to watch his son. The build-up took a further twist on Friday when Eubank Jr received a £375,000 fine for missing the 160lb middleweight limit.
Boxing legend JOHNNY NELSON has provided Mail Sport with his ultimate guide for the fight, taking a look at the strengths and weaknesses of each boxer and how the contest will play out.
PHYSICALITY
Chris Jr came in the day before fight day the size of an AA battery overweight and it has cost him £375,000. But, worse than that, I think it could now cost him the fight.
It's a fraction at 0.05lb but that's what can tip the balance in Benn's favour now. Chris Jr looked on point physically but it drained him to get down to the weight. Working out, sweating that much but still missing the mark will leave him dry as a bone and that will have an effect.
It can be dangerous because of how it depletes you and the Boxing Board of Control will probably look at it. It's a massive gamble, Chris Jr may shrug it off as no big deal but this could prove an expensive miscalculation.
The bout has been made at middleweight but there's a clause that says the fighters can't be more than 10lbs over the 160lbs mark by 9am Saturday when they reweigh. I'd expected Chris Jr to make the first weight then take a fine.
Don't be surprised if he comes in heavier again now. This fight has been set up on his terms, so the purse is 60/40 in his favour. He will take the hit of another fine rather than risk weakening himself further and losing this fight.
Conor wanted a smaller, 18-foot ring so that he could try and dictate a close-up tear-up and he'll have an edge in energy too now.
STRENGTHS
For Chris Jr, height, weight, reach and his experience. He has been in with the better calibre of fighter, such as Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves, so the quality of experience is greater.
Conor is a career welterweight making the move up. He has speed, fitness, and has an aggressive, front-foot style, he comes up from underneath like a shark out of the water. But he is a fighter more than a boxer, he won't outbox Chris Jr.
It's a bit like Evander Holyfield against Mike Tyson. Holyfield had the advantage because Tyson's style was to dip and almost walk on to the punches Holyfield preferred to throw. It's the same here, as Conor likes to weave into the direction that Chris will throw his natural shots.
Mentally, Conor feels he has the advantage because of Chris Jr not making the weight.
WEAKNESS
Conor's inactivity has to be a big weakness. He hasn't had enough fights in the past two years. I'm not sure the weight will be such a big issue as although he is moving up to 160lbs he does tend to blow up between fights. With not being the taller of the two though, he is going to have to work harder to get within range.
The question marks over Chris Jr now, after the slip up at the weigh-in, will be his energy levels, as well as is his chin. His chin was considered a strong point but we saw in his first fight with Liam Smith how Smith's left hook and uppercut caught him out.
Age maybe comes into play against Chris Jr with him being seven years older, depending on the tempo. I don't see Conor outboxing Chris Jr but he could outfight him if it gets up close and personal.
TEMPERAMENT
All week, Chris has been dictating the narrative, turning up late, dominating the press conference. It's all been at his pace but that has come back to bite him on the backside because he's been too casual about making this weight. Never has he not made weight.
There's a lot of goading from Eddie Hearn and Conor, trying to poke at Chris Jr and get him angry, trying to entice him into a tear up. It suits Conor, he needs to draw on that energy to go off like a firecracker. He wants Chris Jr to lose his temper and lose his cool.
But Chris Jr hasn't bought into that so far. He has closed off emotionally. It's one gene he has obviously taken from his father. He has remained composed throughout the build-up, even Piers Morgan hasn't got under his skin. Even hitting Conor with the egg in the side of his head was orchestrated to keep his opponent angry and invested in the fight.
Chris Jr has been vilified but he's aloof because I don't think he likes boxing folk. He has grown up watching the circus, the games, and he doesn't want that in his life.
I don't expect his father to turn up to support him and increase the tension. The two have separated. Where Nigel is happy to be a bystander to support his son, Chris Senior finds it impossible to turn up and not be involved. He told his son off publicly for the stunt with the egg and I think he will stay away.
I saw his father four weeks ago and he maintains this fight still won't happen. I've no idea why but he insists it won't happen...
VERDICT
Thursday night I favoured Chris Jr, but he may have left himself too much to do now to get in prime shape, ready for fight night. If Chris Jr turns into a hooligan, he will definitely lose. He needs to maintain his cool because it will go off like a whirlwind.
Benn's camp now believe advantage is on their side. It's not that simple by any means but I'm now leaning that way. Missing the weight could prove decisive and I take Benn to win inside the first six rounds.
