Chris Eubank offers blunt opinion over Conor Benn rematch after iconic brawl
Chris Eubank Jr outpointed Conor Benn in their brutal grudge match last month, and the 35-year-old believes a rematch is "very likely" to happen later this year
Chris Eubank Jr is optimistic that a rematch with Conor Benn will take place later this year.
The 35-year-old secured a unanimous decision victory over his rival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in front of a crowd of 67,000, in their highly anticipated April bout and feels there's a strong desire for them to square off again.
Plans for a second fight are already being discussed, with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh eyeing a September date, provided both fighters are in shape and willing. Despite rumours that Eubank might choose a different opponent, the buzz around a rematch persists.
"The rematch is very likely to happen. The demand is there," Eubank Jr shared with Mirror Sport during the PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte-Carlo event. "The fight we put on last Saturday was something that won't be forgotten. People, they really fell in love with that performance - from both of us. So in all likelihood there will be a rematch at some point this year."
Having faced numerous high-profile opponents throughout his career, Eubank Jr acknowledges that his recent win has opened up several possibilities, including a potential bout with Canelo Alvarez. However, regardless of his next move, Eubank Jr believes he's now in a better position for future negotiations, having learned from previous experiences.
The Brighton-born boxer reflected on the business side of boxing, admitting he had made mistakes in the past by signing the wrong contracts and making poor deals. However, he believes he has gained valuable experience and now knows his worth as a fighter, reports the Mirror.
"The business aspect of boxing is crucial, and I've got it wrong so many times throughout my life where people take advantage and to make the wrong deals, sign the wrong contract. But you live and you learn," he noted.
"Now I'm experienced enough to know the things I should be doing, the things I shouldn't be doing, what I'm worth as a fighter, what types of contracts are good to sign and what types of contracts you should stay away from. I have an amazing team around me of people that are watching my back at all times, and I'm in an amazing position now.
"After that performance [against Benn], all the doors are open. There's not a fight in boxing right now that couldn't be made. So that's a beautiful feeling to know you're in that position, you're in the driving seat, and these next 12 months are going to be incredible."
Speaking at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, where he was participating in a private poker game organised by PokerStars, Eubank Jr acknowledged that the €5,000 minimum buy-in was no longer a daunting amount for him, especially after his substantial earnings from the Benn fight. Instead, he viewed the trip as an opportunity for relaxation and enjoyment.
"To a lot of people, they couldn't imagine playing with large amounts of money, risking losing that type of money, and that being something that's relaxing to them," he explained. "But when you've been in these environments for so long it does become therapeutic, it does become fun, it does become relaxing.
"It becomes something you can do to take your mind off all the craziness that's going on in the other parts of your life. For me, poker is fun, it's truly enjoyable, it's a passion and I'm happy doing it, so it is a relaxing activity for me."
Felix Schneiders, a PokerStars ambassador and seasoned player, is familiar with matching wits against top sports figures. Having ousted football legend Sergio Aguero from last year's EPT Monte-Carlo, he values poker's even playing field where anyone with a few thousand euros can compete - a common scenario in this swanky locale.
"I just met Chris for the first time, I shook hands with him," he said. "To be honest I didn't know who he was because I'm not into boxing, not into football, not into cars, not into anything like that, so I don't know if I have the right topics at hand! But I'm just going to sit down and have some fun with the lads, I'm just going in there without any expectations apart from having fun.
"Aguero, he sat down at my table [last year], I didn't know who he was, busted him. It was a very unfortunate spot for him - he had ace-jack, flopped a jack, I had queens and we got it in. After I busted him he shook my hand and I was feeling something is special about this guy, I don't know what. Then I sat down again and my neighbour said to me 'do you know who you just busted?'
"I was like 'no I don't' and he went 'check him out on instagram'. He's got like 8 million followers - yeah okay, nice, good to know. That's the beauty of poker. That's what I like about the game."
For those facing Eubank in Monte-Carlo, the boxer himself serves as a prime example of sitting down at the poker table and finding yourself just metres away from the most famous person you've ever met. However, even the boxer isn't immune to the thrill of sitting across from superstars.
"I've played against all sorts of people around the globe," he shared. "Very high stakes, very private games, very famous individuals, and it's incredible that you get to meet and spend time with all these characters. In a normal world, you would never sit down and play with Bruno Mars, you wouldn't be in his company.
"But poker brings all these diverse characters and personalities into one room, onto one table, and you get to spend time and converse and listen and learn. That is actually probably one of the most attractive things to me about poker.
"It's not even about the money, it's about the people and the experiences and the stories." Some aren't just renowned figures; they're also skilled poker players in their own right. When pressed to identify his most formidable opponents, he doesn't hesitate to mention one standout: Neymar.
"Most athletes that I've ever played with have been like myself, just action, gamble, but it's not like skill, it's just fun," he explained. "I've seen Neymar play very skilfully and been very impressed with how he plays when he wants to play well.
"There are definitely times where he doesn't give a s*** about playing well and is just there to gamble, and those are the best games you can imagine, but he's a very, very good player."
The fact that numerous top-tier athletes attend European Poker Tour events – from Aguero to Rafa Nadal to Brazilian icon Ronaldo – is no fluke, and Eubank notes the mental similarities between his sport and his hobby. "Boxing and poker are extremely cerebral activities," he observed.
"You have to be extremely sharp, you have to have a very strong mentality to be able to perform at the highest levels of these two worlds. A lot of people wouldn't imagine this, but in my opinion boxing is 70 percent, minimum, mental. You've got to be able to deal with the pressure, the pain, the sacrifice, and with dedication.
"And if you can't deal with all of that it doesn't matter how fast and strong and fit you are, you're not going to win. You'll crumble under the pressures of boxing, and it's exactly the same with poker - you can crumble under the pressure.
"You can go all in with aces, somebody goes all in with kings, they hit a king, you lose your entire stack and 'oh my god I've just lost all this money, what am I going to do?' Some guys, they fall apart, they chase, they tilt off the rest of their stack and it's a disaster.
"And some guys are able to keep composed, keep the game plan, understand that it's a part of the game and not let it distract you from playing the best poker you can play. They're very mental activities and the people with the strongest will and the most discipline, those are the guys who excel."
If you think you've got what it takes to sit down with the pros at the virtual tables, check out the PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker from May 11 https://www.pokerstars.com/poker/tournaments/scoop/