Chris Eubank Jr beats Conor Benn in brutal epic to settle bitter rivalry

Chris Eubank Jr battled to a brutal victory over Conor Benn in a slugfest to settle their bitter rivalry.

The sons of legends served up an epic in front of 67,000 fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Eubank Jr deservedly given the nod by all three judges by a score of 116-112. He celebrated wildly when the result was read out, dropping to his knees in ecstacy, while Benn found solace in his dad's arms.

"I knew I was capable of that. I just needed someone to bring it out of me," said Eubank Jr "I didn't expect Conor to be the guy to do that. I didn't know he had that in him, I thought I would break him early.

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"I underestimated him, I didn't prepare for a fight like that. The fact our fathers fought years ago brought out a different spirit and I am happy to have my father with me. He needed to be here. All this is because of him."

Benn, who failed two drug tests before the rivals were first scheduled to meet in 2022, was booed as he walked to the ring, followed by his dad who attempted to coax the crowd, unsuccessfully, into a cheer.

Eubank Jr was also accompanied by his dad, who had made a surprise appearance just days after branding his son "disgusting", walking out to Chris Sr's famous ringwalk tune Simply The Best. Eubank Jr, too, was jeered during a lengthy entrance as he made Benn wait impatiently in the ring.

The famous fathers hugged before the first bell, 32 years after their rematch ended in a controversial draw at Old Trafford. And there was a touch of gloves - at the insistence of referee Victor Loughlin - from the sons as the first bell sounded. Benn had promised to start fast and he was certainly the more agitated of the two in the opening stages. But it was Eubank Jr who was the more accurate over the opening three minutes with Benn's punches more often than not missing their target.

Benn improved in the second round as his right hand settled into a rhythm. Eubank Jr responded with a left hook and was happy to play the waiting game. But he was quick to grab on to Benn in the third session as one too many right hands found its mark. Benn's best chance was perceived to be in the opening rounds before Eubank Jr was able to make his size count and the latter began to impose himself in the fourth. His left hook was posing problems for Benn while an uppercut landed flush - only for Benn to respond with his reliable right.

Benn's explosiveness began to desert him by the fifth round as Eubank Jr edged ahead. By the halfway stage, it was Eubank Jr who looked the more likely to take the grudge fight by the scruff of its neck. The seventh session saw Eubank Jr frustrate Benn with the one-two. Both men showed good chins in the eighth as their respective attacks failed to break through. Benn found a second wind as his urgency returned and he had Eubank Jr under pressure in the dying seconds.

Benn was the quicker off his stool for the ninth round and he caught Eubank Jr flush with. both hands. Eubank Jr responded with an attack to the body but he was unable to impose himself on Benn as he might have hoped at this stage. Eubank Jr had suffered a cut over his right eye from an accidental clash of heads and he came under pressure again in the 10th as neither man took a backwards step. Eubank Jr finished the round on top as he looked to see out the victory.

And he had Benn backed up against the ropes in the penultimate round but couldn't hammer home his advantage. There was another touch of gloved before the final three minutes before both men let their hands fly. The crowd rallied behind Eubank Jr and he answered their call with a final flurry only for Benn to cling on to hear the final bell.

On the undercard, Anthony Yarde settled his rivalry with Lyndon Arthur with a points win in their trilogy bout. Arthur had stunned Yarde behind closed doors in 2020 before Yarde avenged that loss with a fourth-round stoppage the following year. The Arsenal fan was never close to a stoppage at Spurs' home ground but all three judges gave him the nod.

Aaron McKenna surely brought an end to Liam Smith's career with the biggest win of his own as he outpointed the former champion. Chris Billam-Smith battled to a points win over Brandon Glanton while Viddal Riley dethroned British cruiserweight champion Chev Clarke over 12 rounds.