✨ Read this must-read post from BBC Sport 📖
📂 Category:
📌 Main takeaway:
Chris Eubank Jr. has spent his entire life earning the approval of his father and former world champion Chris Eubank Sr.
But in the days leading up to the biggest fight of his career against Conor Penn – a revival of the family feud that began with their fathers 35 years ago – Eubank Jr. appeared as an isolated figure.
In the final press conference before that grudge match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April, Eubank Jr spoke of the “pain” of not having a relationship with his father.
They had, at that point, been separated for several years with Eubank Sr. criticizing the match.
Eubank Sr. also publicly described his son as a “disgrace” after slapping Ben with an egg during the confrontation.
“Am I going to stand in your corner? You must be crazy,” Eubank Sr. said.
“I will never be in your corner.”
A reunion between the duo seemed impossible as the bout approached until Eubank Sr. made the first move – reaching out via text message just 24 hours before the fight.
“I called him and he wanted to see me, so I told him I can’t take any negativity,” Eubank Jr. said.
He added: “He said, ‘No, I don’t have anything negative to say, I want to be by your side.'”
“No matter what is said or done, I will always greet him with open arms.”
Eubank Sr. had seen his son being verbally attacked — with his father’s absence used as a weapon — and felt he needed to act.
The couple met that night and kept their reconciliation under a strict lid.
The first one knew about it was when Eubank Sr. stepped out of a taxi backstage — and an elevator for those watching TV — next to his son. The boxing world at ringside and at home is witnessing a famous sporting moment right now.
“You had no support, that was a very serious fight and I’m very glad I cut you off and stayed away from you for so long and said there was no way I was coming to that fight,” Eubank Sr. said.
“I came at the last minute to give you the last bit of energy.”
His father’s presence on fight night clearly had a positive impact as Eubank Jr. won via unanimous decision.
Eubank Sr. will return alongside his son in the rematch on Saturday.
“Having him in my corner gave me that push, that extra percentage to get the job done,” Eubank Jr. said.
“When it really mattered, he was there for me.”
In a new BBC film, the two men talk candidly about their split, very public reconciliation, and what their repaired relationship looks like now.
💬 What do you think?
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