Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew is backing welterweight contender Conor Benn to overcome and defeat middleweight Chris Eubank Jr.
Earlier this month in Manchester, the 33-year-old Eubank dominated and stopped former world champion Liam Smith in the tenth round.
Eubank was scheduled to face Benn back in October of 2022, but the fight was called off during fight week – when news broke that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance.
A fight with Benn could become a possibility for the month of December.
Bellew believes Benn’s physical attributes will prove to be too much for Eubank.
“Too quick, too explosive, I just think he beats him. I don’t know how it’ll go, I just need to see Conor back first to see what the year’s took out of him, but I still favor Conor. Explosive, powerful, quick- Conor Benn’s one of them, you’re going to have to put him to sleep. He’s going out on his shield,” Bellew explained to Carl Froch’s podcast, Froch on Fighting.
Before he can think about a Eubank showdown, Benn has to overcome his legal issues with the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD).
Benn has been inactive since an April knockout of Chris Van Heerden.
He was cleared to box earlier this year by the National Anti-Doping Panel.
However, BBBofC and UKAD have appealed that decision. Benn’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, believes the matter should be resolved in the coming months.
For his part, Eubank is exploring several possible options – which includes a showdown against former middleweight world champion Gennadiy ‘GGG’ Golovkin.