Chris Eubank Jr has spent his entire life seeking the approval of his father and former world champion Chris Eubank Sr. But ahead of the biggest fight of his career against Conor Benn — a revival of a family rivalry dating back 35 years — the younger Eubank found himself isolated.
At the final news conference before that grudge match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Eubank Jr admitted to feeling the “pain” of no longer having a relationship with his dad. The two had been estranged for several years, with Eubank Sr publicly criticising the fight and even calling his son “a disgrace” after slapping Benn with an egg during a face-off.
The reunion before the fight
As the bout drew closer, a reunion seemed impossible — until Eubank Sr reached out by text just 24 hours before fight night. “I called him and he wanted to see me,” Eubank Jr said. “He said, ‘No, I have nothing negative to say, I want to be next to you.’ Regardless of what has been said and done, I’m always going to greet him with open arms.”
The pair met that night, keeping their reconciliation a secret until Eubank Sr emerged beside his son backstage. The sight stunned the boxing world as the two walked out together. “You didn’t have any support, that was a very dangerous fight,” Eubank Sr later said. “I turned up at the last minute to give you the last piece of energy.”
His father’s presence seemed to make a difference — Eubank Jr went on to win by unanimous decision. “Him in my corner gave me that boost, that extra per cent to get the job done,” he said. “When it truly counted, he was there for me.”
A rift years in the making
Their relationship began to fracture in 2019, shortly after Eubank Jr lost a middleweight title fight to George Groves. Wanting to “walk his own path”, he decided to move on from his father’s close guidance — a decision that left Eubank Sr deeply hurt.
The distance grew further in 2021 when Eubank Sr’s son, Sebastian, died of a heart attack in Dubai. “The passing of my brother widened the gap even more,” Eubank Jr said. “He wasn’t able to figure out how to deal with that loss and still have a working relationship with the rest of his children.”
At Sebastian’s funeral, Eubank Jr met his nephew Raheem for the first time and has since embraced a fatherly role. “All I have to do is look at a picture of Raheem and I light up,” he said. “He’s my brother’s son, so now he is my son.”
A father’s love rediscovered
After beating Benn, Eubank Jr was taken to hospital for precautionary checks, where his father spent “two nights and three days” by his side. “He doesn’t leave the hospital and was sleeping in the hallway,” Eubank Jr recalled. “When I saw that, I knew — he still loves me. He’s still my dad.”
In a new BBC film, both men reflect on their painful estrangement and emotional reunion. Eubank Jr also reveals that he will soon become a father to twin boys, vowing to raise them differently. “I want to be the type of father my kids can come to and talk about anything,” he said. “I couldn’t do that with my old man. He was too strict, too disciplinarian.”
For now, the pair have agreed to keep boxing talk off the table. “What I want from him as a father is friendship,” Eubank Jr said. “I want to go to the cinema, go to dinner, talk about life — not boxing. I just want a dad.”
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