Boxing's 'anti-hero' Eubank Hopes For Father Reconciliation

Parading successful luxury designer finery, rubbing shoulders pinch A-list celebrities and playing poker pinch filthy-rich footballers – Chris Eubank Jr has ne'er really marketed himself arsenic a man of nan people.

But, heavy down, everybody wants to beryllium liked, and nan 35-year-old is nary different.

"People opportunity that 'he's been happy to play nan bad guy'. I wasn't happy astir it," Eubank says.

"I didn't for illustration getting booed into arenas for each these years. I don't for illustration waking up and going connected my Instagram and seeing group saying 'you're going to get knocked out' and 'you're not arsenic bully arsenic your aged man'."

The Brighton boxer says he has learned to accept, moreover "relish", nan villain tag. In nan build-up to Saturday's conflict pinch Conor Benn, however, nan lines betwixt nan 'good' and 'bad' guys person blurred.

Eubank will look his chap Briton astatine nan Tottenham Hotspur Stadium successful boxing's latest grudge lucifer – 2 and a half years aft their cancelled bout because of Benn's grounded narcotics tests.

Benn has since been cleared to conflict and denies intentionally doping, but nan ungraded has tarnished his reputation. Consequently, it's shape-shifted Eubank into British boxing's improbable antihero.

"I don't cognize what to expect. This could beryllium nan first conflict successful history wherever some guys successful a mega conflict get booed into an arena," Eubank says.

"[But] nevertheless overmuch of a bad feline I am, I didn't cheat. I walked nan difficult way being that bad guy."

While his nationalist image whitethorn beryllium improving, Eubank's fractured narration pinch his father, Chris Eubank Sr, has threatened to overshadow nan fight.

"I've told him I want him location [on Saturday]. I've told him what it intends to me, nan public, to nan conflict fans," Eubank says. "He doesn't look to attraction aliases he doesn't look to understand."

Speaking to BBC Sport, an affectional Eubank opens up connected their nationalist fall-out and what happens if he loses to Benn connected Saturday.

As each time passes successful conflict week, it is becoming progressively improbable that Eubank Sr will be Saturday's fight.

He had been an ever-present astatine nan commencement of his son's career, but their narration has go strained.

"It sewage to a shape wherever I realised for nan nationalist to beryllium capable to spot who I was arsenic a man and arsenic a fighter, I had to measurement distant from that immense figure," Eubank says.

Barry Hearn said Eubank Sr, who he promoted for a number of years, was a "very strict disciplinarian arsenic a father".

"He said to maine erstwhile 'Bazza, really do you fto your boy talk to you for illustration that?" Hearn said.

"I said to him 'your boy has to beryllium your friend arsenic well, Chris'. I don't deliberation he ever bought into that."

Eubank acknowledges nan nationalist liking successful his life and is unfastened to discussing issues acold much important than boxing.

While he has forged a estimation of being a composed fighter, extracurricular of nan ringing he has shown his emotions and vulnerability to nan public, pinch his individual life tinged pinch calamity complete nan past 4 years.

In 2021, his 29-year-old relative Sebastian died of a bosom onslaught successful Dubai. Eubank has go a begetter fig to his nephew, who was conscionable a period aged astatine nan time.

Eubank Sr has labelled nan Benn bout a "circus" because of nan weight disparity; Benn is going up 2 divisions and Eubank is prohibited from rehydrating much than 10lb aft nan weigh-in.

"I deliberation this conflict erstwhile it's over, there's a anticipation that things whitethorn beryllium capable to reconcile aliases there's a anticipation it will make our narration moreover harder to rebuild," Eubank Jr says.

"What I do cognize is erstwhile I americium retired of boxing, past it will decidedly beryllium easier for america to rebuild what's been lost."

As Eubank has stepped retired of his father's shadow, much of him arsenic a man and combatant has emerged.

Eubank is rather nan maverick, a boxer who ne'er pinned himself down to 1 promoter aliases trainer for a important magnitude of time.

Recent outbursts person moreover landed him successful ineligible fuss and consequent retractions.

"So galore boxers and fighters get caught up successful nan treachery of nan group that are successful nan industry," he says, describing nan athletics arsenic "shady".

While he whitethorn person burnt bridges pinch influential boxing group down to a crisp, Eubank is perfectly tin of single-handedly promoting a fight.

Just for illustration Chris Eubank Sr did pinch Nigel Benn during their rivalry successful nan 1990s, Jr – minus his father's monocle and jodhpurs - seems to cognize which buttons will inflame an opponent.

He says that targeting Benn's emotions is not a deliberate ploy, though.

"I've ne'er thought I request to deliberation of thing that's really going to get to Conor. I don't attraction astir Conor. I only attraction astir me," Eubank says.

Referencing nan now-infamous incident erstwhile he slapped Benn crossed nan look pinch an ovum – which resulted successful a £100,000 good – Eubank feels he kept his composure.

"I had Nigel Benn's manus wrapped astir my cervix astatine 1 point, but if you spot my face, it's for illustration I'm stepping down nan street," he says.

"I'm not angry, I'm not scared, I'm not worried. I'm conscionable looking astatine him. I'm not wasting power connected these guys."

Eubank has proven his value pinch wins complete erstwhile world champions Arthur Abraham, James DeGale and Liam Smith. He has a batch to beryllium proud of.

He is afloat aware, however, that a conclusion to Benn could extremity up defining his 14-year career.

"There's truthful overmuch astatine liking – respect, family, pride, money and my career. I said it, if I suffer I retire. That is simply a horrible point to opportunity and to cognize but it's nan truth," he says.

Evaluating Eubank's boxing profession depends connected really you measurement success.

In 37 fights, he is yet to seizure a world title. He mislaid his only situation for world honours to George Groves successful 2018.

If he ne'er becomes a world champion, is it a lawsuit of unfulfilled potential? Eubank has surely shown he is tin enough.

As a commodity, though, Eubank remains 1 of British boxing's biggest draws. He has sold retired arenas and earned seven-figure paydays.

And he is not fresh to springiness it each up conscionable yet.

"I emotion being a fighter. I emotion training. I emotion competing. I emotion testing myself mentally and physically," he says.

"This is my life. On April 27th, I don't want to aftermath up and opportunity it's done. I really don't."