Chris Eubank Sr believes that promoters were attempting to "murder" his son by making him cut down to a career-low weight in order to make his fight with Conor Benn happen.
Eubank Jr was due to face Benn last Saturday night, but the bout was cancelled when Benn tested positive for the banned substance called clomifene. The drug is generally prescribed to treat infertility in women, but can boost testosterone production in men.
But prior to the failed test, Eubank Sr was never interested in the bout, insisting that the 157lb catchweight was too much for his son to make. Eubank Jr has never reached a weight that low in his 11 years as a professional, and boxed as heavy as super-middleweight during his younger years.
And his dad feels making such a cut in the latter part of one's career could be potentially fatal, which caused him not to engage with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom or Kalle Sauerland of Wasserman in promotion for the bout. He attempted to pull his son from the fight, although his calls fell on deaf ears, and as such their relationship has suffered greatly.
Speaking with Spencer Fearon on his YouTube channel Stamina For Sale, Eubank Sr said: "I made it very clear three months ago that this fight isn't going to happen because he is my son and I've got to protect him. These people are attempting to murder the boy.
"And it's clear to me but not to anybody else; if you're a fighter, if you've live the life of a fighter and you know what it is to lose weight, my son's been protected and I brought him up good in boxing. But he doesn't want to listen, he wants to be the boss so I said 'go ahead, I don't think you should have the fight, I think you'd get the same money for fighting Liam Smith, then you have Billy Joe Saunders, then you have Canelo and that's your career. These guys you can beat because you are a magnificent fighter'.
"But unfortunately Junior doesn't understand and doesn't believe in me. I believe in him but he doesn't believe in me and sadly, it's come to the point where, when you no longer care, it means I'd let go. He manages himself and looks after himself and I say 'fine', I've done nothing but gift this young man a career, a name, a face."
Eubank Sr was due to appear with Nigel Benn for a speaking engagement on fight day, but has stayed in South Africa with his wife as opposed to returning to the UK. He has defended Conor Benn after his failed test, and believes that the blame for the fight being in such disarray is with his team of coaches, managers and promoters.
"I told Nigel 'don't come to these speaking engagements; it's going to be too much pressure on you because you let them lead your son into a pit, a snare'," Eubank Sr added. "That boy's clean, a clean man and a great fighter, but you have toddlers looking after us fighters, toddlers.
"These guys that they call managers and promoters, these guys - I'm coming for you. You tried to murder my boys, I'm coming for you, yeah. Sorry, I got a little carried away - I know what weight, I know what three pounds down from 160 when you're 33-years-old to get down beneath the middleweight limit, it's madness, but he won't listen.
"And I can't afford for him to 'feel'. I've already lost one son and it's not happening again, it didn't happen. I had very little to do with it. I will move out."
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"I think he's very stubborn," promoter Eddie Hearn told iFL TV after he initially made his feelings clear in September. "He made some comments a couple of weeks ago about the weight. Don't forget, Eubank Sr knew about this fight. He knew about the weight, and Chris Jr signed for the fight. There wasn't any major concerns then.
"At the same time, he has concerns about the weight, and Junior is out there dining out with KFC, cookies, cakes, etc. The people who are the ground that are involved with the camp. Ronnie Davis, the British Boxing Board of control, they'll be weighing him are all happy with the numbers. So, I don't really see the concern."
Conor Benn insists he has done nothing wrong, saying in a statement: "I am truly gutted that we were unable to make this fight happen on Saturday and I'm sorry to everyone who has been affected by the postponement. I am still completely shocked and surprised by this and it has been a tough couple of days, My team and I will consider the next options including rescheduling the fight, but my immediate focus is on clearing my name because I am a clean athlete!"
