2 hours ago
2
Make no mistake - Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn 2 is not a dangerous fight.
I don't believe Eubank struggled to make weight for the first fight with Benn. He miscalculated it; he got it wrong.
I know a lot has been made of Eubank missing weight the first time, but let us not make this rematch about that.
Eubank was the IBO middleweight champion. It is very easy to miscalculate cutting weight.
He probably drank in the region of six to seven litres of water a couple of days before and then he has tried to dry out and release the fluids. He was out by 0.05lb - it is nothing.
Eubank is not even a big middleweight. He is an average size for the division. He is using these excuses, showing videos of him in sauna suits and sweating it out, but 85% of fighters make weight like this.
He is painting a narrative to get people thinking it is so tough for him, but don't feel sorry for a fighter making weight in a division where he was a champion.
Eubank came on stronger in the last three rounds of the first bout - and weight-drained fighters tend to fade.
It is madness that people feel sorry for Eubank, but this is boxing and people buy into the short stories and social media narratives.
It is smart. He has gained a lot of followers and sympathisers towards him making a weight that he chose.
On Saturday, this is a welterweight against a middleweight. It has been going on since boxing started.
Could Benn become a world champion? Yes.
Could Eubank become a world champion? No.
But that does not detract from them having a great fight.
The rematch is going to be about who wants to go into the fire first. It favours the younger man in Benn. Eubank will not want to revisit that place again. It is a really hard fight and it is not easy at his age.
Only Eubank's career is on the line. He was the IBO champion. A high-street clothes shop has more valuable belts, but it does not take away what he is.
Benn has the perfect narrative of everyone knowing it is not his weight class.
People think I have something against Eubank, but I admire him.
He is not like me and 99% of fighters. I have huge admiration for Eubank and Benn because they were kids born into a life of luxury wearing silk pyjamas.
We have all heard about Eubank's four nights in hospital and his toenails falling off.
I have been urinating blood for two days after a fight and it was a badge of honour. But when I look back now, I am an idiot. Who wants that?
If I was raised me in silk pyjamas I could not have made it as a boxer.
The hostility between Eubank and Benn is not manufactured. Benn is like me - he is emotionally charged and driven. For Eubank, it is business. He does not care.
These two will have become fond of each other now. When you share a fight like they did, you get respect for each other.
But that respect will go out the window this week. A line will be crossed because they need to do that to get in the right mindset.
Certain things will get said this week to wind each other up. They have family names and their own personal ambitions at stake.
The first fight was unbelievable to watch. It was non-stop from start to finish. These two could have 10 fights and all 10 would be belters.
I am not saying that Benn or Eubank are Micky Ward or Arturo Gatti, but the recipe they bring when they are put together is fantastic.
Eubank thinks he is a better boxer than he is and Benn only knows how to fight one way - trying to take his opponent's head off for every second of every round.
I had Eubank losing after nine rounds in the first fight. It was tight and he was being outpunched before turning it around in the championship rounds.
All three judges only gave Benn four rounds, but I think he won at least five. I had Eubank winning by one and some rounds were so close.
I told Benn he needed to be careful about getting fatigued. I knew he would tire but it was a shock to him.
Benn could have won if he maintained his output for the full 12 rounds, and he needs to learn from that experience.
A knockout loss for Benn would be disastrous. A victory for Benn would be a disaster to Eubank - he will have lost to a welterweight.
Eubank could catch Benn hard and stop him, but the quick turnaround will favour Benn.
I think he will outwork Eubank and might stop him, but I am edging towards a Benn victory on points in an absolute thriller.
Tony Bellew was speaking to BBC Sport's Bobbie Jackson.
