LONDON — The boxing world’s buzzing, and Chris Eubank Jr.’s name is at the center of it. Fresh off a hard-fought win over Conor Benn on April 26, 2025, the Brighton-born fighter’s got a big choice to make. The chatter in the gyms and boardrooms isn’t about a second dance with Benn—it’s about a blockbuster showdown with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight king. The push for Eubank to aim higher comes straight from the sport’s heavy hitters, and it’s got legs.
Eubank Jr., 35, settled a long-simmering feud with Benn in a gritty, 12-round scrap that left fans roaring. The victory, a unanimous decision, was a nod to the Eubank family legacy—his father, Chris Sr., was a middleweight legend. But the boxing brass aren’t lingering on the past. On April 27, a major sports outlet reported that Eubank’s camp is being nudged to pivot toward Canelo, a fight that could catapult him into the sport’s stratosphere. No rematch talks with Benn are on the table, despite their heated history.
The case for Canelo is clear-cut. Alvarez, 34, holds the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF super middleweight belts, a haul that makes him the division’s top dog. Eubank, who’s never held a full world title, has been circling big names for years. A clash with Canelo, already floated in negotiations last year, would be his shot at immortality. On July 4, 2024, reports surfaced that talks for the fight were underway, though they hit snags over money. Eubank’s team, backed by promoter Ben Shalom, was deep in discussions with Canelo’s crew, signaling serious intent.
The Benn rivalry, while electric, doesn’t carry the same weight. Their first fight, a generational grudge match, drew massive pay-per-view numbers. But Benn, 28, hasn’t fought since the loss, and no official plans for a rematch have surfaced. The World Boxing Council, in a statement on April 24, 2025, threw its weight behind the winner of Eubank-Benn getting a crack at Canelo, effectively greenlighting Eubank’s next move. Shalom, Eubank’s promoter, called the Benn fight Eubank’s biggest yet but hinted at even larger horizons, with Canelo’s name looming large.
Eubank’s own words fuel the fire. On April 16, 2025, he posted a video breaking down why he’d back himself against Canelo, oozing confidence. Last October, he admitted to turning down a Canelo offer, citing ring rust after a long layoff. Now, active and battle-tested, he’s in prime position. The boxing world’s watching, and the message is loud: forget Benn, go for Canelo.
The stakes are sky-high. Canelo’s fought 65 times, with 61 wins and 39 knockouts. Eubank’s record stands at 34 wins in 38 fights, with 25 stoppages. No contracts are signed, but the momentum’s building. For Eubank, it’s a chance to step out of his father’s shadow and into boxing’s brightest spotlight.