If you’re a sucker for a good father-son story in sports, then this weekend’s lineup is right up your street.
After clashes in 1990, 1993, and the barnburner this past April, the Eubanks — Chris Jr. and Chris Sr. — are set to lock horns once more with the Benns, Conor and Nigel. It marks the fourth chapter in one of boxing’s most enduring family rivalries — and fittingly, it’s the Hearns, Eddie and Barry, who bring it to life again.
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No, this isn’t some pro-wrestling six-man tag — it’s a rematch between two sons whose stories have been intertwined with boxing history from the very start.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium might not have had too much to cheer about so far this year (ayoo!), but if the first encounter between Chris Jr. and Conor was anything to go by, 60,000-plus fans will be on their feet from the opening bell in North London on Saturday night.
Let’s take a closer look at this weekend’s boxing action!
1. Is Conor Benn truly the “People’s Champion?”
Conor Benn (23-1, 14 KOs) has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons over the past couple of years. We don’t need to go over old ground with failed drugs tests and failed egg-splanations, but whether you believe the 29-year-old was guilty or not, he’s not had an easy ride from the British boxing public.
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Benn was booed to the ring inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in April, but, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn, left the ring to cheers as the “People’s Champion” following 12 hellacious rounds.
Now, there’s no denying Benn’s performance. The grit, heart and cojones he showed that night were impossible not to admire. But to claim that alone flipped public opinion on its head feels like a stretch — even for a Hearn sales pitch.
We’ll get a better sense of Benn’s love-o-meter reading on Saturday night. Never underestimate the British public’s appetite for a grudge — or their joy in booing a pantomime villain. By Sunday morning, Hearn may have to accept that, for the rest of Benn’s career, he’s destined to play the heel.
2. What does Chris Eubank Jr. have left to give boxing?
Chris Eubank Jr. is in decline as a fighter — there can be little denying that now.
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But with life looking markedly different since April — reconciliation with his father and the impending arrival of twin sons — how much more will the 36-year-old be willing to give to the sport?
We’ll find out on Saturday night. Once again, Eubank fights a familiar trifecta: Benn, Father Time and the scales as he returns to the 160-pound limit. All we can do is hope that one, or some cruel combination of the three, doesn’t completely drain what’s left of his tank.
His father’s concern feels justified. At age 59, Chris Eubank Sr. has seen too many fighters — Michael Watson, Nick Blackwell — pay the ultimate price for courage. His fear isn’t overprotective; it’s earned.
3. A timely Adam Azim reminder
We need to see more of Adam Azim.
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The 23-year-old has boxed just 22 professional rounds since the start of 2024, and the Slough fighter is, like us, getting frustrated.
Azim told DAZN during Tuesday’s grand arrivals: “Like I’ve said before, I’ve not been very active. But I’m going to be very active [Saturday]. Then have another fight in January, February time before Ramadan. And then another one fighting in May.”
The build of Azim’s campaign begins on the Eubank vs. Benn undercard, and on-paper he may have landed an ideal next opponent in Kurt Scoby. The American has been intentionally provocative in the build-up to this 140-pound contest, deliberately trying to unsettle Azim — a tactic that nearly spilled over during Wednesday night’s open workouts.
Azim responded with contempt. “I can’t wait to smash his face in,” he told DAZN, before reducing Scoby to a simile: “There’s a character in ‘Scooby-Doo’ called Scrappy — that’s him. I am the one with the skill.”
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A convincing win for Azim would do three things: Consolidate his position on a high-profile card, give him momentum going into the new year, and strengthen his negotiating hand in two key avenues — a domestic grudge match with Dalton Smith and a projected move up to 147 pounds.
WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza (left) punches Edward Vazquez during a title fight this past May.
(Steve Marcus via Getty Images)
4. Rafael Espinoza’s Mexican return as world champion
Rafael Espinoza, the reigning WBO featherweight champion, returns home to Mexico on Saturday night to defend his title against Arnold Khegai in what promises to be a compelling clash of styles.
It will be Espinoza’s first fight on Mexican soil since July 2023 and his fourth defense of the title he pried from Robeisy Ramirez. Each of his three previous defenses ended inside the distance, underlining the champion’s growing reputation as one of the division’s most efficient finishers. His most recent outing — a seventh-round knockout of Edward Vazquez in May — further showcased his blend of volume, timing and length.
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Khegai, meanwhile, enters his first world title opportunity with momentum of his own. The Ukrainian has rebounded strongly since his January 2020 loss to Stephen Fulton, winning seven of his past eight and refining his aggressive, pressure-based approach.
For Espinoza, this fight offers both a homecoming and another chance to cement his standing among the elite at 126 pounds. For Khegai, it represents the culmination of a long climb back into contention — and the chance to upset one of the sport’s most in-form champions.
5. Is Anthony Joshua ACTUALLY going to fight Jake Paul next month?
On Wednesday evening, news broke that a heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul is in the works for December in Miami, Florida.
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The latest twist in the Jake Paul experiment comes amid the fallout from his cancelled fight with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, which was scrapped earlier this month due to Davis’ latest domestic violence allegations. But few could have expected Paul’s supposed replacement to be an opponent roughly 120 pounds heavier: Heavyweight superstar Joshua.
If confirmed, it would represent an audacious escalation for Paul. The American has long insisted he wants to be taken seriously as a professional boxer, and this would be a statement of intent — or at least of ambition. Trading retired athletes and fellow influencers for a former unified heavyweight champion is the kind of jump that, on paper, verges on reckless. Yet in Paul’s world, where perception often outweighs probability, the move makes sense.
For Joshua, the logic is simpler. At age 36, and with his competitive options narrowing, this would be a lucrative interlude before the main event — namely, a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury. That fight remains the career-defining target, likely positioned for the summer of 2026.
Until then, both Joshua and Eddie Hearn may see Paul as a pragmatic exercise: Stay active, generate headlines and collect a sizable payday. And if, in the process, Joshua dispatches Paul as most would expect, it’s a low-risk reminder of his commercial and sporting relevance heading into one final heavyweight chapter.