Chris Eubank Jr faces an investigation over his weight-loss strategies after beating Conor Benn by unanimous decision on Saturday night.
Next Gen beat his rival 116-112 on all three scorecards after waiting 30 months to go to town on his opponent.
However, his radical weight-cutting tactics – including using a heat suit and sauna – have invited scrutiny. He shared clips of the actions, but it is not known when they were from.
The 35-year-old was handed a £375,000 fine after failing to make the 160lb weight by 0.05lb on Friday. On Saturday he did just about make the 170lb weight before beating Benn in a gutsy 12-round contest which had the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd roaring.
Now the chief of the British Boxing Board of Control (BBofC) has pointed to a potential investigation into the prohibited weight loss practices, which were shared on Eubank Jr’s social media.
‘The problem arose because he was late for the weigh-in,’ BBofC boss Robert Smith told BoxingScene.
Chris Eubank Jr faces an investigation over his weight-cutting tactics after beating Conor Benn
The 35-year-old shared footage of him exercising in a sauna suit to lose excess water weight
Eubank Jr missed weight for his middleweight fight against Conor Benn by half an ounce
‘If he’d have got there on time, considering he was only slightly over, he’d have made weight.’
Eubank Jr only turned up for the weigh-in at midday on Friday – an hour after Benn.
‘I don’t know what they were doing,’ Smith said. ‘But by turning up late, it meant he had very little time to get down to the contracted weight.
‘We had no concerns. Eubank was on track to make 160lbs. We keep records of previous fights, and the trajectory of Eubank’s weight loss was very similar to how it’s been in the past.
‘It is an ongoing matter.’
Eubank Jr had revealed the extraordinary lengths he took to meet the target and his dehydrated appearance at the weigh-in led some to fear that the endeavour could cost him the bout.
He shared videos of himself in a sauna suit, used to increase sweating to shed as much water weight as possible.
Excessive use can lead to extreme dehydration and heat exhaustion, hence Eubank Jr’s gaunt frame and bone-weary appearance.
After making weight on the day, he defeated his rival 116-112 on all three scorecards
Pictured: Eubank Jr’s exhausted look as he climbs out of a body bag used to promote sweating
His father had warned about the dangers of the fight going ahead due to the weight factor
The boxer was also seen lying down in a sauna body bag, with only his head exposed. The contraption is electrically heated to a set temperature and promotes passive sweating without physical movement, causing even further weight loss.
He turned up late to the weigh-in after trying everything to get down to 160lbs, but it was not enough on the day.
The weigh-in controversy followed repeated public warnings from Chris Eubank Sr, who has been outspoken in his opposition to the fight due to concerns over his son’s health – as well as Benn’s health stepping up in weight.
After the weigh-in debacle, Eubank Jr cut a dominant figure in the ring, landing 152 more punches than his opponent on his way to winning eight rounds.
There appeared to be a moment where he was out on his feet in the 12th round, sticking his head through the ropes, but he rallied back in a demanding last minute.
‘I knew I was capable of that, I just needed someone to bring that out of me. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t expect that he’d be the guy to do that,’ he said in the aftermath.
‘But the fact that our fathers did what they did all those years ago, it brings about a different soul and spirit into you, and that’s what we showed tonight.’
However, Eubank Jr was taken to hospital by ambulance for precautionary checks. His post-fight press conference was cancelled and he also suffered a cut above his right eye after a clash of heads in the ninth round.
Benn claimed that he had broken his opponent’s jaw, however this has not been confirmed.