Chris Eubank Jr opens up on strained relationship with father: ‘We’re not cool’

Chris Eubank Jr has opened up on his relationship with his father, admitting: “We are not cool.”

Eubank Jr was previously coached by his father, an icon of British boxing, but Chris Sr has not appeared in his son’s corner since 2019.

Chris Sr was vocally opposed to his son’s planned fight with Conor Benn in 2022, a bout that fell through when the latter failed two drug tests. The fight would have taken place almost 29 years to the day after Chris Sr fought Benn’s father Nigel for the second and final time.

The younger Benn has since served a suspension in Britain but fought twice in the US, while Eubank Jr has gone 1-2, trading wins with Liam Smith in 2023 and stopping Kamil Szeremeta on Saturday (12 October). And talk of the Eubank Jr vs Benn fight persists, as the latter seeks to end his suspension this month.

Eubank Jr, discussing the prospect of his father being involved in the build-up to that potential fight, told Uncrowned on Wednesday (16 October): “I would love for him to be involved. The fact that I even have to say that is insane. How is that even a thing?

“His son is gonna fight the son of his arch-nemesis, [from] all those years ago when he was a world champion... How is it a thing that he may not be there? But it’s a thing. We don’t talk, he has shown no interest in my career for a long period of time now. He’s shown no interest in me in a long period of time.

“He’s gone through a lot over the last few years, and he’s still dealing with his demons. He thinks certain things aren’t right and should be a certain way and they’re not – and he’s not happy with it, and this is how he’s dealing with it: by not being in my life.”

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In 2021, Eubank Jr’s brother Sebastian was found dead on a beach in Dubai aged 29. In 2023, Eubank Sr’s brother Simon died aged 63.

Eubank Jr said on Wednesday: “As somebody who’s lost a son, I think that’s a pretty insane thing [for my dad] to be doing, an insane way to be acting – to kind of not be speaking to your remaining kids. But he’s his own man, he’s dealing with his situation how he thinks he should.

“All I can do is sit and wait and hope that he comes around at some point. But I can’t tell you if that will happen any time soon.”

When asked if he still reaches out to his father, Eubank Jr said: “Yeah, I message him every once in a while, don’t really hear much back. Sometimes it’ll be a one-word answer or an Instagram post, but there’s no real conversation there. It’s sad.

“But I’m my own man, and I’ve got massive things on my plate, in my path, that I have to complete and succeed in. So, I can’t let anything like that affect me spiritually, mentally, emotionally.

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“I have to be strong, I have to be focused. Once my career is done, I can try and spend time worrying about other people’s feelings, but for right now it’s all systems go. I’ve got to be me.”

Eubank Jr also said he has not heard from his father since beating Szeremeta in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. He added: “You know what? For a long time, I tried to kind of act like it was cool. People would ask me, ‘How’s your dad?’ ‘Yeah, we’re good.’ But I got sick of that s***, man. It’s bulls***. We’re not cool, we’re not okay, and people need to know.”