Chris Eubank Sr stunned spectators at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, making an unexpected appearance ahead of his son’s high-profile clash with Conor Benn.
Eubank Sr described his dramatic arrival prior to his son’s unanimous decision victory over Conor Benn as a “moment of a lifetime”.
There had been reports of a long-standing estrangement between the two, with the 58-year-old Eubank Sr previously voicing criticism of the bout.
His presence was wholly unexpected on Saturday night, captivating the crowd when he stepped out of Chris Eubank Jr’s vehicle at the stadium.
During an appearance on his YouTube channel on Wednesday, external, an emotional Eubank Sr recounted the moving moment, which he believes “resonated with the nation and beyond”.
Eubank Sr explained he only reached out to his son the night before the bout and even donned a “disguise” to visit him at his hotel.
“I’m welling up now,” Eubank Sr admitted.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. It almost seemed choreographed, from the car’s arrival to my position on the left side.”
“As I opened the door and stepped out, facing the assembled global media, I couldn’t help but smile.”
“I believe I was guided spiritually—I’m good, but not that good—which is why it touched so many people,” he reflected.
Following his hard-fought points win, Eubank Jr was taken to hospital—a routine protocol after intense matches of this calibre.
Contested at middleweight, with a limit of 11st 6lb (160lbs), Eubank Jr underwent a challenging weight cut and was fined £375,000 for narrowly missing the contracted weight by just 0.05lb.
A rehydration clause also prevented the 35-year-old from gaining more than 10lb on fight day morning.
Eubank Sr revealed that accompanying his son in the ambulance brought back memories of his own infamous fight with Michael Watson in 1991, a match which left Watson with life-changing injuries.
“My son Junior is deeply proud, but his face was badly swollen, almost unrecognisable,” he said.
“He would never let others see that, but it made me recall what Michael endured and I felt those emotions keenly.”
“Few realised, but my son’s condition was touch-and-go; only a CT scan could allay our fears.”
“Most of his suffering in hospital stemmed from dehydration, on top of the punishment he received, which left him in significant pain for more than a day.”
“Do you know how many times I was close to tears, or found myself trembling? For a 35-year-old to boil down to 160lb is perilous—he was near unconsciousness, just as Conor was, who also ended up in hospital in the early hours.”
“When I saw Junior, I broke down. He was lying on the bed, his legs awkwardly bent—I couldn’t tell if he was awake. I asked, ‘Are you OK?’ and he replied, ‘Yeah, I’m OK, I’m OK.'”
“The contest was remarkable—I never expected to witness such resilience from my son. From the sixth to the twelfth rounds, he stood toe-to-toe and refused to back down.”
“I’m incredibly proud of him—and of Conor Benn. Moments like these will resonate through boxing history.”
“[However] I never want my son to endure this again. He isn’t aware of how close he came, and perhaps he doesn’t want to be.”