Chris Eubank Jr taunts Conor Benn after knockout defeat
Chris Eubank Jr delivered a savage social media jab at bitter rival Conor Benn within moments of watching him suffer a devastating second-round TKO defeat to WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia in Las Vegas on Saturday evening, reports BritPanorama.
The 36-year-old took to X to post an 11-word message that quickly went viral: “Welcome to the ‘fighting after cutting too much weight’ club… Enjoy.”
This jab was a pointed reference to Eubank Jr’s own well-publicised difficulties cutting down to the 160lb middleweight limit for his two bouts against Benn in 2025. He had maintained that the weight drain significantly compromised his performance, particularly during their November rematch.
Eubank Jr had made clear his support for Garcia earlier on Saturday, sharing a photograph of himself alongside the American with the message: “Get the job done kid.” Garcia obliged, finishing the fight in emphatic fashion.
Garcia’s first defense of the title he claimed from Mario Barrios in February was ruthlessly efficient, lasting barely four and a half minutes in front of 18,855 spectators at the T-Mobile Arena. The opening round saw Benn land a solid body shot but also take two of Garcia’s trademark left hooks. Early in the second, a sharp right hand from Garcia sent Benn crashing to the canvas.
Though Benn beat the count, he struggled to regain his composure with significant time left in the round. Garcia capitalized on this, pinning his opponent against the ropes before referee Thomas Taylor intervened to end the match.
This fight marked Benn’s maiden world title challenge and his only second professional defeat, with Garcia now boasting a record of 26-2 and achieving his first stoppage victory since 2023.
Benn’s return to the 147lb welterweight division posed a significant physical challenge, having not competed at this weight since facing Chris van Heerden in April 2022; he had fought at middleweight and a 150lb catchweight against Regis Prograis since then. Reports indicated that he weighed in at 10st 6lb at Friday’s weigh-in but rehydrated to an astonishing 32.4lbs more before the fight.
Before the bout, Benn discussed the toll the weight cut had taken on him. “It feels like I’ve been dragged down to the pits of hell, had a fight with Satan and God brought me back to life,” he stated. “Making weight has been the hardest thing I’ve done.” However, he declined to complain about the hardships faced, saying, “I won’t moan when I’m getting paid a fortune to headline in Vegas for a world title. I know what I signed up for.”
Eubank Jr’s own challenges with weight before their first meeting prompted disciplinary action from the British Boxing Board of Control, which fined him £375,000 after he narrowly missed the 160lb middleweight limit amid allegations of improper sauna use. Despite these concerns, he secured a unanimous decision victory in their initial encounter, though he appeared visibly fatigued in their rematch, which Benn won comfortably.
When asked if he sympathized with Eubank Jr’s weight complaints, Benn was dismissive, saying, “He got paid an absolute fortune. You’re talking to somebody who’s not made the weight for four and a half years. Am I moaning? Do you see me posting for sympathy, or some sob story? No. I get on with it.”
The rivalry between the two now stands level at one win each, raising the possibility of a decisive third fight. This feud echoes that of their fathers—Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn—who fought twice in the 1990s, though a trilogy between the sons might well surpass that legacy.
Following the bout, Benn is widely expected to abandon the welterweight division permanently. Reports indicated he was taken to a local hospital afterward as a precaution, with a return to middleweight appearing the most viable option moving forward. In a brief post on X, he was gracious in defeat, stating: “Not my night, no excuses. @RyanGarcia you’re a great champion.”
Garcia, for his part, praised Benn, saying, “I want to thank Conor for a great build-up and a great match, I respect him. 147lb is my division. I’m here, you can trust me as a champion.”
In the world of boxing, the scales often speak as loudly as the fists, and this bout serves as a stark illustration of that truth — underscoring how the sport constantly balances on the precipice between glory and collapse.
