Chris Eubank Jr has claimed the gruelling weight cut for his grudge fight with Conor Benn will leave him at just "60 per cent" entering the ring.
The British duo will reignite their fathers' famous world championship rivalry in a super-fight at The O2 arena in London on October 8. The heat between the two sons seemed just as real during a back-and-forth press conference, with Eubank Jr declaring that he "can't forgive" the things Nigel Benn did to his father Chris Sr.
And the Brighton native believes his gruelling cut to their 157lb catchweight will leave him out of sorts, particularly with a strict rehydration clause the following day. He has fought as high as 168lb during his career, and has to make huge changes to make this bout happen with the much smaller Benn.
"The weight - yes, I'll have to get down to a weight I haven't been since I was 18 years old," Eubank Jr said, much to the annoyance of Benn. "It's going to be tough, it's going to be very painful to do. Then not being able to put on a certain amount of weight after the weigh-in. The restrictions are fair because you are coming up, but I won't be 100 per cent on the night, you will. I can't be anything but real, this is the weight we agreed on.
"I can't be 100 per cent when I have to go down to a weight I've never been to and then I can't rehydrate fully. That's fair, because if I'm 100 per cent it's a public execution, I have to be at a disadvantage to make the fight reasonable. I'll be 60 per cent on the night, and that will be enough to do whatever I want with you."
And Eubank Jr admits that he is taking Benn, who is a natural welterweight and moves up two weights for this catchweight bout, lightly. He has faced a number of hard-hitting super-middleweights throughout his career, and will be expected to be much bigger on fight night than Benn.
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"Yes, I am taking you lightly," Eubank Jr told Benn during a heated exchange. "I can't do anything else but take you lightly, I underestimate you because I know what I am, I don't see the pedigree and grade that people are giving you - maybe I'm wrong.
"I've been called delusional my whole career, so we're both just two delusional guys and I guess we're going to find out who's the most delusional in a couple of months. That's the sexy thing about this.
"I'm not an underdog in my mind, I think it's impossible for you to win, but I like that people are saying that you can beat me. It gives me that extra kick up the a*** to get up and do what I need to do to get ready for this fight.
