LONDON: Chris Eubank Jr. will be fined £375,000 ($499,000) after failing to reach the correct weight ahead of his grudge fight against British rival Conor Benn on Saturday.
Eubank Jr. had two attempts at weighing in at 160lb, missing his first try by 0.2lb before falling short again by 0.05lb.
The 35-year-old faces the fine after agreeing to a clause in his catchweight fight contract with Benn at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
A rehydration clause states that Eubank Jr. will be unable to weigh more than 10lb heavier on Saturday morning and failure to abide by this will result in another fine.
The fight is set to take place despite Eubank’s shortcomings, with Benn, 28, coming in well under the limit at 156.4lb.
Eubank Jr. posted a video of him cutting weight in his hotel after the news with the caption “pain is temporary ... glory is forever.”
Benn, responding to video, wrote: “Christopher who are you trying to fool and get sympathy from? I’m coming up to your weight, a weight you’ve made your last three fights and most of your career.
“It’s like you’re looking for excuses already? First time you’ve ever missed weight and first time you’ve ever posted a weight cut.”
Eubank Jr.’s fine comes after he was handed a £100,000 penalty in February for slapping Benn with an egg in their Manchester press conference.
The antagonistic relationship between the boxers mirrors the feud between their fathers Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn, who fought twice in the 1990s.
Eubank Jr. fined after missing weight for Benn grudge bout
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Eubank Jr. fined after missing weight for Benn grudge bout
- A rehydration clause states that Eubank Jr. will be unable to weigh more than 10lb heavier on Saturday morning and failure to abide by this will result in another fine
Tennis world number ones Sabalenka, Alcaraz begin Australian Open campaigns
- Carlos Alcaraz, who could complete a career Grand Slam if he wins the tournament, faces Adam Walton
- Aryna Sabalenka takes on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah as she seeks a third title at Melbourne Park
MELBOURNE: The first round of the Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Sunday.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz, who could complete a career Grand Slam if he wins the tournament, faces Adam Walton, while Aryna Sabalenka takes on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah as she seeks a third title at Melbourne Park.
Top men’s match: Alcaraz v Walton
At 22, Alcaraz could replace Don Budge as the youngest man to achieve the career Grand Slam with victory at the Australian Open. The Spaniard has left no one in any doubt what his main goal is for the 2026 season, saying in November he would rather win a first Melbourne Park crown than retain his French and US Open titles.
His quest to make history will begin with a first-round tie against Australian Walton.
The pair have crossed paths once before, with Alcaraz beating the Australian 6-4 7-6(4) during his title-winning run at the Queen’s Club Championships last year.
Top women’s match: Sabalenka v Rakotomanga Rajaonah
Sabalenka will be bidding to continue her incredible record in hard court Grand Slam tournaments when she begins her campaign against Frenchwoman Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
The Belarusian world number one has reached the final of the last six majors she has played on the surface, winning four of those.
She enters the competition in fine form after retaining her Brisbane International title this month without losing a set, and should have little trouble when she takes on the 118th-ranked Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
Venus Williams is back
Venus Williams, a two-times Australian Open singles finalist, returns to the tournament for the first time since 2021 after receiving a wildcard.
The 45-year-old faces Olga Danilovic in the first round, where she is set to become the oldest woman to feature in the Australian Open main draw by surpassing Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she bowed out in the first round in 2015.
Williams has endured a poor start to the season, losing to Magda Linette in the first round in Auckland and to Tatjana Maria in her opening match at the Hobart International.
Despite her defeats, she said she was happy with her level.
“I can’t expect perfection right now, but I know I’m playing good tennis. Winning and losing doesn’t know any age. Once you walk on court, you’re there to compete,” Williams said before her defeat in Hobart.
Australian Open order of play on Sunday
Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the first day of the Australian Open (prefix number denotes seeding):
Rod Laver Arena
- Day session
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) v 7-Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
3-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v Gabriel Diallo (Canada)
- Night session
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah (France)
1-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) v Adam Walton (Australia)
Margaret Court Arena
- Day session
Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Leolia Jeanjean (France)
18-Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina) v Zhang Zhizhen (China)
- Night session
10-Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) v Jenson Brooksby (US)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Thailand) v 28-Emma Raducanu (Britain)
John Cain Arena
- Day session
Arthur Fery (Britain) v 20-Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
- Day session
12-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v Cristina Bucsa (Spain)
- Night session
29-Frances Tiafoe (US) v Jason Kubler (Australia)
Olga Danilovic (Serbia) v Venus Williams (US)
