The build-up to a giant skilled boxing match typically includes loads of barbs between the 2 fighters, blended with loads of hype.
The upcoming match between Chris Eubank and Conor Benn was no totally different. Nonetheless, this construct up included airing Eubank’s alleged poker money owed.
In a information convention on Tuesday, Benn stated that Eubank owed Brazilian soccer celebrity Neymar Jr. £4 million ($5.1 million) in poker money owed. He argued that was one of many monetary incentives Eubank had in agreeing to the struggle.
“Have you learnt why you want the cash?” Benn stated. “Since you’re shit at poker. He owes Neymar 4 million quid. That’s why he’s taken this struggle.”
Eubank, a two-time Worldwide Boxing Group tremendous middleweight champion, is a former ambassador with the net poker website 888poker and spent loads of time in brick-and-mortar poker rooms.
He and Neymar have performed quite a few occasions, together with through the World Sequence of Poker and Brazilian Sequence of Poker. Moreover, they performed on streamed video games collectively on Hustler On line casino Dwell.
Neymar, a PokerStars ambassador, has greater than $32,000 in reside match winnings and performs on-line as properly. HighrollPoker.com lists the Brazilian with $300,000 in winnings in live-streamed money recreation appearances.
“After I’m not enjoying soccer, I really like enjoying playing cards,” Neymar stated in 2021.
Soccer media criticized Neymar’s poker curiosity previously. In Eubank’s appearances in streamed money video games, he has greater than $100,000 in winnings.
Eubank didn’t immediately deal with the poker debt allegations. As a substitute, he took his personal photographs at his opponent.
The fighters have been set to get within the ring in 2022, however that was delayed after Benn, 28, examined optimistic for the banned substance clomifene. He was later cleared by the World Boxing Council after the group stated an “elevated consumption of eggs” was answerable for the take a look at end result.
The 35-year-old Eubank was doubtful in regards to the excuse.
“One factor I do know is you’re a drug cheat,” stated Eubank.
He later smashed an egg on his opponent’s face, which almost began the struggle two months early, with safety stepping in to separate the boxers.
Apparently egg contamination was the rationale for his two failed medicine checks. So I contaminated him with an egg pic.twitter.com/6P7iY9GY7f
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) February 25, 2025
The struggle is a little bit of a legacy battle because the fathers of the 2 fights fought as properly. Chris Eubank Sr. beat Nigel Benn in 1990 and the 2 fought to a attract a rematch three years later.
The youthful Benn and Eubank are set to sq. off on April 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Eubank enters the match with a 34-3 file and 25 knockouts. Benn is an ideal 23-0 with 14 knockouts. The motion will likely be streamed reside on DAZN pay-per-view in additional than 200 international locations.