Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jnr make perplexing decision as dangers clearly spelled out

Gogglebox: Chris Eubank and son Eubank Jr star in show

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It is easy to see why a promoter’s eyes might light up at Benn v Eubank 3. For those of a certain vintage, this week’s confirmation of an October date for Conor Benn to fight Chris Eubank Jnr brought flashbacks of their famous fathers’ epic contests a generation ago.

They were two vicious, visceral bouts three years apart with Eubank’s victory at the NEC followed by a draw in front of 45,000 at Old Trafford. The bad blood took a long time to wash away.

Whether the generational sequel will pack quite the same punch is doubtful – Benn will have to overcome a significant natural size differential in their catchweight contest but the names are undoubtedly compelling and London’s O2 Arena will be full on the back of them.

It begs the question though of what on earth they are doing climbing through the ropes.

To those not steeped in boxing, it is perplexing why they would have chosen to follow in the footsteps of their fathers.

Pursuing the family trade holds a bloodline pull but theirs is a punishingly tough way to make a living and a hazardous one.

Every boxer knows that each time they climb through the ropes they take a risk. One of Eubank Jnr’s opponents, Nick Blackwell, suffered a brain bleed after a bout and had to be resuscitated in an ambulance on the way to hospital.

As more has become known about the long-term impacts of concussion, collision sports are being forced onto the back foot. For combat sports the situation is even more stark.

A profession which involves repeated blows to the head seems an odd life choice for those with a choice.

Benn and Eubank had plenty of alternatives. Their fathers’ successes meant both grew up wanting for nothing. They went to private school; Benn had a jacuzzi in his bedroom for goodness sake.

The classic tale of boxing providing the escape route out of poverty or the disciplinary straitjacket to steer the vulnerable away from trouble applies to neither.

Yet for both the Hobbit-like lure of the ring proved irresistible.

With their family back stories the dangers could not have been spelled out any more clearly.

The brain injuries sustained by Michael Watson in a fight with Eubank Snr in 1991 at White Hart Lane left him in a medically-induced coma for 40 days, in intensive care for over a year and a wheelchair for six years. He had to relearn how to speak and write.

Those suffered by Gerald McClellan after a savage beating from Benn were even more catastrophic. He was left blind, 80 per cent deaf, brain-damaged and wheelchair-bound for life.

Unbelievably McClellan’s own son – Gerald Jnr – is now also a fighter. In April he fought on a Las Vegas card titled ‘Sons of Legends’; Roberto Duran’s boy Robert was on it too. Ricky Hatton, Tommy Hearns, Leon Spinks…they have all been followed into the ring by their sons. Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila also fought professionally.

For the majority there is a common theme – their fathers discouraged them initially – but they did it anyway.

Why? The money can be good – it will be for the 02 fight – but there has to be more to it than that.

Benn and Eubank will put their short-term and long-term health on the line for a contest which, for all the talk of legacy and settling family scores, they have no need to enter into.

Maybe there really is such a thing as warrior DNA.

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The tributes which flooded in for Serena Williams after her typically idiosyncratic retirement announcement were well deserved for a sportswoman who redefined tennis.

She has achieved everything in a unique career which is reaching its last destination at the US Open.

Billie-Jean King called her the greatest player of all time; Pam Shriver described her as the woman who took tennis off the sports pages and into pop culture.

But the observation on her impact which would have meant most to the girl who emerged from the Compton ghetto to shake tennis to its foundations came from 18-year-old black American Coco Gauff.

“I grew up watching her. That’s the reason why I play tennis,” said Gauff. “Because I saw somebody who looked like me dominating the game, it made me believe that I could dominate too.”

Gauff will be World No 1 one day; Williams has blazed a searing trail for her and others like her.

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England now has its own baby version of the IPL and the Big Bash in The Hundred with Will Smeed’s landmark century another milestone for the competition.

There is no sign of second season syndrome with the weather playing ball and grounds full. Quite the opposite. Even Harry Kane was at a game this week.

However the rise of the franchise tournament globally is having an alarming knock-on effect.

South Africa have already scrapped a one-day series in Australia planned for January because they want all their top stars available for their new domestic T-20 tournament.

The UAE is launching one at the same time and offering hefty inducements for marquee names to sign up. It would be no surprise to see Trent Boult involved after he secured a release from his New Zealand contract this week while David Warner has reportedly asked to be released from his Australia contract.

Andre Russell and Sunil Narine prefer to play in The Hundred rather than for West Indies in their current T-20 series against New Zealand

The international game as we know and love it is under pressure like never before.

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Tony Adams has been called up for Strictly. The Arsenal back four offside appeal, which attained dance move status in The Full Monty, is surely ballroom bound next.

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