Chris Eubank Jr. has reportedly given a significant amount of money to compensate the undercard boxers who were affected by the cancellation of his first scheduled fight against Conor Benn in 2022.
Eubank and Benn were set to face off at a catchweight bout in London`s O2 Arena. However, the event was called off at the last minute because Conor Benn failed a drug test, testing positive for banned substances.
The cancellation not only impacted the main event but also left numerous undercard fighters without a fight and their expected earnings. Chris Eubank Jr. brought up this issue during a recent press conference promoting his rescheduled fight with Benn, now set for April 26th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In a deliberate and thoughtful manner, Eubank Jr. announced his intention to allocate £50,000 from his own fight earnings to be shared among the undercard fighters who were affected by the prior cancellation. He has now fulfilled this commitment.
Despite this charitable action, some critics on social media have accused Eubank Jr., 35, of seeking publicity or `virtue signaling`. They questioned his decision to make this donation public instead of handling it privately.
Others have called on boxing promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom and Conor Benn to follow Eubank Jr.`s example. At the press conference, Hearn mentioned that all boxers under his management were quickly given new fight opportunities after the initial event was cancelled. It has been reported that some fighters, including Felix Cash, Harlem Eubank, Lyndon Arthur, and Ellie Scotney, have already received compensation.
