Eubank misses weight and fined £375,000

Chris Eubank Jr will be fined £375,000 after missing the weight by just 0.05lb for Saturday's grudge match with Conor Benn.

The 35-year-old weighed 0.2lb over the 11st 6lb limit on the first attempt and was still too heavy the second time.

A trimmed and toned Benn – who has operated at welterweight for most of his career – came in lighter than expected at 11st 2lb.

Eubank and Benn are both bound by a rehydration clause that prohibits them from weighing more than 12st 1lb on Saturday morning.

"Show me the money", Benn, 28, posted in a video on social media.

The weigh-in took place behind closed doors at a London hotel on Friday.

There will be a ceremonial weigh-in, which will be open to the public, in Islington on Friday evening.

The fight is due to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Eubank's weight has been a major talking point in the build-up and particularly during fight week.

Benn's team feel the rehydration clause – limiting how much both fighters can add for a further 24 hours - makes this more of level playing field.

Fighters generally shed some fat over the period of their training camp to get close to the agreed or stipulated weight limit.

Before the weigh-in, which takes place a day before the fight night, they may dehydrate to lose the final bit of weight.

Losing water weight close to the fight allows them to refuel with food and water much easier.

Eubank is the more experienced fighter at middleweight but usually puts on about 14lb after a weigh-in.

Before the weigh-in, he said his two options were to either put on what he usually would and then cut 4lb early on Saturday or remain within the 10lb window.

The pair were set to fight in October 2022, reigniting a family rivalry after their fathers shared two bouts in the 1990s, before the fight was cancelled because Benn failed a drugs test.

Benn called Eubank "fat boy" at Thursday's news conference. Promoter Eddie Hearn has also previously questioned whether Eubank would make the middleweight limit.

Eubank arrived an hour later than the scheduled 11:00 BST start time on Friday, sparking rumours he may be struggling at the weight.

Matchroom promoter Hearn told BBC Sport that both men will hit the scales at about 08:00 BST on Saturday. There will be a further fine if he misses the weight again.

Eubank was fined £100,000 for slapping Benn with an egg at a news conference in February. He has also voluntarily spent £50,000 on compensating boxers who were supposed to fight on the cancelled 2022 card.

Eubank has missed the weight by the smallest of margins, the weight of a single AA battery, which makes little change to the competitive element of this fight.

This is a bout already with a significant weight disparity and this incident - and Benn coming in lighter than anticipated - has only shone a brighter light on that.

But we have to wonder what physical and mental impact this has had on Eubank.

How much of a toll has has that gruelling cut taken on his body? And will he have similar trouble in trying to make the 12st 1lb limit tomorrow morning?

The psychological edge and momentum is certainly with Benn. We can expect some goading and taunting at the ceremonial way in this evening.