The build-up to a big professional boxing match often involves plenty of barbs between the two fighters, mixed with plenty of hype.
The upcoming match between Chris Eubank and Conor Benn was no different. However, this build up included airing Eubank’s alleged poker debts.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Benn said that Eubank owed Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar Jr. £4 million ($5.1 million) in poker debts. He argued that was one of the financial incentives Eubank had in agreeing to the fight.
“Do you know why you need the money?” Benn said. “Because you’re shit at poker. He owes Neymar four million quid. That’s why he’s taken this fight.”
Eubank, a two-time International Boxing Organization super middleweight champion, is a former ambassador with the online poker site 888poker and spent plenty of time in brick-and-mortar poker rooms.
He and Neymar have played numerous times, including during the World Series of Poker and Brazilian Series of Poker. Additionally, they played on streamed games together on Hustler Casino Live.
Neymar, a PokerStars ambassador, has more than $32,000 in live tournament winnings and plays online as well. HighrollPoker.com lists the Brazilian with $300,000 in winnings in live-streamed cash game appearances.
“When I’m not playing football, I love playing cards,” Neymar said in 2021.
Soccer media criticized Neymar’s poker interest in the past. In Eubank’s appearances in streamed cash games, he has more than $100,000 in winnings.
Eubank didn’t directly address the poker debt allegations. Instead, he took his own shots at his opponent.
The fighters were set to get in the ring in 2022, but that was delayed after Benn, 28, tested positive for the banned substance clomifene. He was later cleared by the World Boxing Council after the organization said an “elevated consumption of eggs” was responsible for the test result.
The 35-year-old Eubank was dubious about the excuse.
“One thing I do know is you’re a drug cheat,” said Eubank.
He later smashed an egg on his opponent’s face, which nearly started the fight two months early, with security stepping in to separate the boxers.
Apparently egg contamination was the reason for his two failed drugs tests. So I contaminated him with an egg pic.twitter.com/6P7iY9GY7f
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) February 25, 2025
The fight is a bit of a legacy battle since the fathers of the two fights fought as well. Chris Eubank Sr. beat Nigel Benn in 1990 and the two fought to a draw in a rematch three years later.
The younger Benn and Eubank are set to square off on April 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Eubank enters the match with a 34-3 record and 25 knockouts. Benn is a perfect 23-0 with 14 knockouts. The action will be streamed live on DAZN pay-per-view in more than 200 countries.