Conor Benn makes new offer to fight Eubank Jr with Pacquiao talks confirmed

Conor Benn’s next fight will be in June with talks underway with Manny Pacquiao, while an offer has also been made to revive the Chris Eubank Jr fight.

Benn remains under investigation by the British Boxing Board of Control as a result of last year’s failed drug tests but has been cleared to return with his team free to obtain a licence to fight outside of the UK.

Pacquiao has emerged as shock option to fight the 26-year-old in what would be a comeback fight having retired from boxing in August 2021.

The 44-year-old has recently returned to training with Eddie Hearn stating he is one of three opponents being considered alongside Eubank Jr and an unnamed option.

‘I am talking about Conor Benn’s next fight which the whole world is going to watch,’ Hearn told IFL TV. ‘It is going to take place in June, it’s going to be a massive fight and we are close to agreeing that fight and signing the contract.’

Asked if that fight will be against eight-weight world champion Pacquiao, Hearn said: ‘There are three fights we are looking at next for Conor Benn. That is one of the fights. Chris Eubank Jr is another and personally, Conor Benn wants that fight badly. And there is another fight as well.

‘We have had multiple offers from the Middle East for Manny Pacquiao vs Conor Benn. We are seeing if that is going to progress.

‘There is no contract that has been sent to Manny Pacquiao, there have been conversations and negotiations with Manny Pacquiao’s team and Sean Gibbons [Pacquiao’s advisor] but there has been no decision on the opponent. But it will be fairly imminent.’

The grudge fight between Benn and Eubank Jr, 30 years on from their fathers sharing some of British boxing’s most memorable fights, was postponed just 48 hours before the opening bell last October.

That fight was scheduled to be fought at a catchweight of 157lbs, a stipulation that required the Brighton fighter to drop down from middleweight [160lbs] where he has campaigned for the last two years, fighting at super-middleweight [168lbs] before that.

Eubank Jr last month activated a rematch clause to fight Liam Smith again later this year, after being stopped for the first time in his career by the Liverpudlian in January. But Benn is pushing for last year’s fight to get back on, offering to change the terms of the fight weight to better suit his rival.

‘It’s up to Chris Eubank but if he wants to make a lot more money, he can fight Conor Benn,’ Hearn said. ‘If he don’t want to fight Conor Benn, I understand. He’s coming off the back of a bad knockout and the way Conor is at the moment, he is a very dangerous fighter.

‘But Conor Benn has said no catchweight, we will do it at 160lbs, I will give more weight up. And he wants to take his head off. So we will see.’

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