Chris Eubank Sr claims he has pulled his son out of his fight with Conor Benn next month.
The sons of legends are due to clash in London on October 8 at a catchweight of 157lb in a fight which has rekindled memories of their fathers' bitter rivalry. But Eubank Sr has expressed concern over his son's weight cut with Eubank Jr normally competing at 160lb.
"My son’s life cannot be put in danger… I’ve already lost one. It can’t happen again," Eubank Sr told the Daily Mail. The former world champion was referring to his son Sebastian who died from a heart attack last year just days before his 30th birthday.
Eubank Jr admitted his dad did not want him to take the fight, but was confident he would make the catchweight limit - and beat his rival. "He [Eubank Sr] said don't take the fight. Don't take it because it's not the right time," he said during his face-off with Benn.
"Wait a year, get a few more wins under your belt, let him [Benn] get a few more wins. Build the fight, build the hype and have it in a football stadium next year. This fight does that, and the quick turnaround we've got now we can't put it in a stadium. So his thing was to wait."
Eubank Jr and Benn are due to go head-to-head nearly 30 years after their fathers fought for a second time in the WBC super-middleweight world title fight at Old Trafford. Eubank Sr won the first bout with a stoppage in the ninth round, but their rematch resulted in a draw.
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And Eubank Jr admitted last month that his family's name would be on the line. “This is this is a fantasy fight right here. This is this is a fight for the fans, a fight for history, a fight for legacy,” said. “I’ve got to uphold my family name in this fight, 100 per cent, so there is a lot of pressure, but pressure is one thing I deal with exceptionally well so I am ready to go.
"I need to be responsible in this fight – I have my family name to uphold here, not just in winning, but in how I conduct myself. I would not want to do anything to disrespect what my father felt during this fight."
