Plenty of eyebrows were raised when news broke that Chris Eubank Jnr had been fined £100,000 ($125,000) by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) for hitting Conor Benn at a press conference to promote their April 26 contest. The incident, which has drawn huge publicity, occurred when the fighters were positioned for the customary face-off and Eubank struck Benn with the same hand that was clutching an egg.
The fine was a large one and caused some observers – including active boxers – to question both why it was so hefty and where the money goes.
As for the size of the penalty Robert Smith of the BBBoC told BoxingScene that the reason is twofold. One, the nature of the attack. “It was assault,” Smith said. “Forget about the egg. He hit him with force, and it was premeditated.”
Two, this was not the first time that Eubank has been called before the Board and been made to explain his actions.
In January 2023, at another press conference, Eubank exchanged distasteful insults with Liam Smith ahead of their first bout, won by the latter in four rounds. Both Eubank and Smith were subsequently fined by the BBBoC. Eubank won the rematch before fighting Kamil Szeremeta in October in Saudi Arabia where the Board frequently act as the governing body. Following that victory, BoxingScene understands that Eubank was again called before the Board – and ultimately fined – for his conduct in an incident with a medical officer. He has also turned up late for weigh-ins in the past, another infraction for which he was reprimanded.
Eubank said on social media that his latest fine was “money well spent”. He has long goaded Benn for failing two separate drugs tests in 2022 – clomifene was discovered on both occasions – which resulted in the original fight date between the pair being scrapped as a result. After investigating the first failed test, the WBC suggested that the reason for the positive result might have been due to excessive egg consumption.
Like all fines handed down by the BBBoC, the money will go directly to the Board’s registered charity which raises funds for retired boxers and their families.