Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn. are finally set to collide on April 26 in London, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium emerging as a venue. The news comes straight from Turki Alalshikh, who recently confirmed that both fighters have signed the contracts, ending nearly two years of speculation and fallout from Benn’s failed drug test in 2022.
The two British rivals were originally supposed to meet in October 2022, nearly three decades after their fathers, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr, waged their own classic battles. That fight collapsed when Conor Benn returned adverse findings in a voluntary drug test, triggering a lengthy legal battle. Benn, who maintains he never intentionally doped, had his provisional suspension lifted in November, opening the door for fresh negotiations.
Eubank Jr, 35, will enter the bout as the favorite, primarily due to his experience at middleweight and his impressive victory over Liam Smith in their rematch last year. Benn, 28, has been campaigning as a welterweight and remains undefeated. He took a couple of fights in the U.S. while his status in the U.K. was in limbo, but now returns to face the biggest challenge of his career at a higher weight.
Watch Eubank vs. Benn press conference: Watch
Benn and Eubank’s rivalry originally hinged on their famous boxing surnames, yet the events of the past two years have shaped this fight into a grudge match that stands on its own. As combat sports journalist Coral Barry suggests, both men have fired public jabs for months and endured court proceedings and doping investigations - all of which add layers to a clash that could draw an estimated 60,000 fans at Spurs’ state-of-the-art stadium.
In the undercard, light heavyweights Anthony Yarde and Lyndon Arthur are set to meet in a trilogy clash after splitting their first two bouts. Arthur nicked their 2020 first meeting on a jab‑heavy decision before Yarde blasted him out in four rounds the following year. Since then, Yarde fell short against unified king Artur Beterbiev, while Arthur dropped a wide verdict to Dmitry Bivol. With both men now outside the title picture, victory is essential to stay relevant.
Former world champion Liam Smith will make his return on the same card, facing the unbeaten Aaron McKenna (19-0, 10 KOs), who has compiled a formidable record and looks to test his skills against an experienced opponent. Smith has not boxed since a tenth‑round knockout loss to Eubank in September 2023; McKenna, 25, views the showdown as his springboard to world‑level recognition.
Watch Born Rivals episode: Watch
Also on the lineup is former world cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith, who takes on a dangerous Brandon Glanton riding a three-fight knockout streak. In another cruiserweight showdown, British champion Cheavon Clarke will defend his record against undefeated London rival Viddal Riley (12-0, 7 KOs).
Whether the final showdown will live up to decades of hype remains to be seen, but British boxing fans have waited long enough to find out.
Fight card:
▪️Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn, 12 rounds, middleweight
▪️Liam Smith vs. Aaron McKenna, 12 rounds, middleweight
▪️Anthony Yarde vs. Lyndon Arthur, 12 rounds, light heavyweight
▪️Viddal Riley vs. Cheavon Clarke, 12 rounds, for the BBBofC British cruiserweight title
▪️Chris Billam-Smith vs. Brandon Glanton, 12 rounds, cruiserweight
Watch the weigh-in live here: Watch
