Chris Eubank Jr alludes to pre-fight ‘issues’ before Conor Benn loss: ‘I’ve been through hell and back’

Chris Eubank Jr reveals that certain “issues” affected him before the rematch with Conor Benn; Eubank lost widely on Saturday but would not go into further detail about the problem; Before making a decision on his future he said: “I need to heal. I need to deal with what I’m dealing with”

Chris Eubank Jr looked hollow. From the first round his jab was slow, his punch output absent. Even the ferocious aggression, that had been key to sealing a memorable victory in his first fight with Conor Benn, deserted him in Saturday’s rematch.

His technique tired, his urgency only briefly stirred when Benn stung him with solid shots, Eubank’s performance had fallen far from what he showed in their first fight in April.

In the 12th and final round, Benn hurt him. A one-two blasted up and over and shook Eubank to his boots. His legs quivered and they abandoned him too, leaving him to fall clumsily to the canvas.

But Eubank still retained the kind of grim determination that only another fighter can understand.

He declined to stay down. He hauled himself upright, knowing that were seconds left in the contest but understanding too that throughout every one of them Benn would unleash any and every punch he had left.

His tormentor did storm into him, he did club him back down to the canvas. This time Eubank fell headlong. Still he rose and he stood again, eyes glassy as he got himself through to the end of the bout.

Losing a boxing match, especially one that has seen the fighter sent twice to the canvas, is its own kind of purgatory. But Eubank revealed that struggles had affected him before the bout.

“I’ve been through hell and back to make it here,” Eubank said afterwards. “I genuinely thought that regardless of the issues that I’ve been dealing with that I would be able to go in there and win, use my boxing skills, use what you guys saw in that first fight to beat Conor Benn.”

But he added: “From that first round I realised that I was mistaken. But it’s okay, I’m a fighter, this is what I do. Regardless of the dangers and the risk, we go to war. That’s what we do. I tried my best.

“Conor Benn put on a hell of a fight, he put on a great performance, he did everything that was asked of him and I congratulate him for his performance.”

He did suggest that whatever the issue was, it was something that he still needed to “heal” from, but he would not discuss it in any further detail. He didn’t want to make an excuse for his performance.

Where does this leave Chris Eubank Jr? Can a happy, contented man fight on? Should a happy, contented man fight on?

“I get to do what I love every day regardless of the trials and tribulations I go through, I’m still doing what I love to do,” Eubank said.

“I’m alive, I’m happy, I’m a fighter.

“I’m still fulfilled in life so I’m good. I’m okay.”