It is difficult to know where to begin, but at the end, Chris Eubank Jr sank to his knees as his father stood proudly by his side, while Conor Benn embraced his own father and closed his eyes, perhaps wishing to drift into a dreamworld away from the very real nightmare around him.
Also around him were 67,000 witnesses to his downfall after so many threats, so much snarling, so much aggression – an aggression which simply could not deliver the decisive blow he had craved for years. Yet this was not an emphatic demise; in fact, the 28-year-old had fought valiantly in a boxing match that resembled a theatrical melodrama more than a sporting contest. Instead, his demise played out over 12 rounds, with victory so often appearing within his twitchy grasp.
