Former world champion Johnny Nelson played secret role in Chris Eubank Sr attending son’s fight with Conor Benn
JOHNNY NELSON has lifted the lid on his role in Chris Eubank Sr attending his son’s huge fight with Conor Benn.
Eubank Sr, 58, had been passionately against the blockbuster bout going ahead due to worries over Jr’s weight cut.
The former two-weight champion even called his son a “disgrace” last week – adding that his license should be revoked.
Eubank Sr’s 1990s rival Nigel Benn joined his son Conor for the huge Tottenham Hotspur Stadium fight.
And in a shock U-turn, Eubank Jr had his father by his side as he arrived at the venue – with the pair later embarking on a memorable ring walk together.
Nelson, 58, had been speaking to his old pal Eubank Sr regularly in the build-up to the fight.
Speaking to Sky Sports following Eubank Jr’s unanimous decision victory over Benn, Nelson revealed: “He said he was always coming in our conversation on the day, so he fooled me.
“It was father to father. I messaged him the day before Chris was struggling to get down to the weight, as a father you panic and think ‘my God, what if the worst case scenario happened?’
“I’d been speaking to Chris (Eubank Sr) over the past two or three months and he had said, ‘I am not going, this fight is not happening’ and he went through every reason why he would not go. He quoted scriptures of the Bible to me and everything.
“So I said ‘whatever has gone on, you have got to forgive your son. You might not like what he is doing but he is your son. Do not regret this’.
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“Our conversation on the phone must have gone on for an hour and a half, back and forth. I had got to the venue by then.
“I said ‘Chris look, I’ve got to go, people are around.’
“Regardless if that had anything to do with it or not, as a father it was important that he was there because god forbid the worst case scenario happened.
“He would never, ever forgive himself and that is what I was trying to get across to him.
“Hopefully it hit the mark or hopefully he was always coming.
“But to me it was a father to father conversation that he had to understand and if that wasn’t going to prick his conscience, nothing would.”
Speaking in the ring after the gruelling fight, Eubank Sr spoke of his delight at having his dad back onside.
‘HE NEEDED TO BE HERE’
The victorious bruiser said: “The fact our fathers did it all those years ago brings out a different spirit in you and that’s what we showed here tonight.
“I’m happy to have this man [Eubank Sr] back with me. He needed to be here. All this is because of what he did.
“I’m happy to have this man [Eubank Sr] back with me. He needed to be here. All this is because of what he did.”
Eubank Sr added: “He couldn’t move around the ring and so he had to stand toe to toe. That is legendary behaviour in the ring. Legendary.
“Conor Benn is an extraordinary fighter. He’s gone pear-shaped somewhere, but an extraordinary fighter.
“I thought he would blow out in four of five rounds he was going strong right the way through the fight.
“I am so proud. That’s my son. I was always going to be here.”