The Diary of a CEOChris Eubank Jr & Sr: The night before that ended the rift
How a hotel meeting the night before recast a public disgrace; the fight itself, the weight cuts, the letter, and the brother named Sebastian.
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 8:40
Opening: Aftermath Of A War
Eubank opens up for the first time in long form about the Conor Benn fight, describing the chaos, brutality and the fact that he never expected it to become a career‑defining war. He reflects on how public reaction and fan emotion made him realise the fight had transcended boxing.
- •Recounts being in hospital post‑fight, in pain, hearing doctors say another patient would die without immediate surgery, which reframed his own suffering.
- •Admits he thought he would ‘blow’ Conor Benn away and be done in a few rounds.
- •Acknowledges that the mutual punishment and refusal to quit from both men is what elevated the bout into a historic event.
- •Notes fan feedback calling it the best fight and event they’ve ever seen.
- 8:40 – 20:30
Why He Looked ‘Different’ And The Hidden Turmoil
Pressed on why he looked off in the early rounds, Eubank hints at undisclosed physical and personal issues but refuses to make excuses. He instead frames these problems—including weight, rehydration, and promoter tactics—as part of a fighter’s job to endure.
- •Host observes he didn’t look ‘normal’ compared with previous fights.
- •Eubank references illness, injury, and mental stress but declines to detail them, rejecting excuse‑making.
- •Describes external disruptions: rehydration clause, gloves changes, being 0.05 lb over the limit and fined, attempts to disturb his dressing room.
- •Says he consciously navigated each ‘trap’ as part of being a smart warrior.
- 20:30 – 43:00
Betrayed Then Saved: His Father’s Public Attacks And Surprise Return
Eubank details the emotional impact of his father calling him a ‘disgrace’ in public and trying to stop the fight, only to reappear the night before with unexpected warmth. Their hotel meeting, and Senior’s insistence he wanted ‘nothing’ in return, becomes the emotional pivot of the entire story.
- •Senior had spent weeks in the media condemning the fight, the weight, and vowing never to be in his son’s corner.
- •Eubank initially ignores a text from his father asking him to call, fearing more negativity before the biggest fight of his life.
- •He eventually calls; his father’s tone is light and joyful, saying, ‘I want to be there for you.’
- •At the hotel, Senior asks, ‘What do you think I want from you?’—Eubank fears it might be money, which would shatter his image of his father.
- •Senior says he wants ‘absolutely nothing’ except to be there, giving Eubank an overwhelming sense of relief and love.
- •Eubank believes his father’s presence added crucial ‘percentages’ to his final performance.
- 43:00 – 57:30
From Estrangement To Rebuilding: Letter, Control, And Grief
The conversation turns to the long‑term breakdown between father and son. Eubank explains how asserting control over his career via a letter, compounded by the death of his brother Sebastian and his father’s subsequent changes, created a deep rift that only this fight has begun to heal.
- •Eubank grew up known only as ‘Chris Eubank’s son’ and wanted to escape the shadow in boxing by taking ownership of his career.
- •He wrote a letter rather than confronting his father face‑to‑face so Senior would be forced to read the whole message without interrupting.
- •In the letter he tells his father, ‘I am the boss,’ which his father cannot accept after a lifetime of control.
- •Soon after, Sebastian dies by drowning in Dubai following a cardiac episode; the tragedy devastates the family.
- •Eubank says his father began smoking marijuana to cope, which in his view further altered their relationship.
- •Despite years of distance, after the Benn fight Senior stays outside his hospital room for two days, sleeping on a stretcher, renewing Eubank’s sense of paternal love and hope they can now ‘build.’
- 57:30 – 1:11:40
Pain, Perspective, And The Warrior Mindset
Eubank describes how personal losses and family fractures recalibrated his understanding of pain and shaped his mentality in the ring. Weight cuts, dehydration and cuts become manageable once set against permanent emotional wounds.
- •In a press conference he publicly contrasts weight‑cut suffering with the pain of his brother’s death, his nephew’s confusion, and his father calling him a disgrace.
- •Says these pains ‘live with you forever’ and make temporary fight discomfort trivial by comparison.
- •Explains how lonely training moments—cramps on a treadmill, beatings in sparring—built the mental toughness he relied on in the final rounds.
- •States he refused to live with the regret of taking a knee or quitting when history was on the line.
- 1:11:40 – 1:25:00
Sebastian’s Death, Raheem’s Impact, And A New Sense Of Responsibility
Eubank goes deeper into the circumstances of his brother’s death and the unexpected central role Sebastian’s son Raheem now plays in his life. Loss makes him cherish time and choices more carefully, while becoming a parental figure shifts his sense of happiness and duty.
- •Explains Sebastian’s death: a sudden heart issue while swimming leads to drowning, despite him being a health fanatic.
- •Reflects on how such a random tragedy makes him respect the fragility of life and waste less time.
- •Describes how caring for Raheem has given him a new type of joy that surpasses material wins or career milestones.
- •Says Raheem makes him want his own biological son because of how much he loves teaching, guiding and watching him grow.
- 1:25:00 – 1:42:30
Weight Cuts, Rehydration Clauses, And An Eight‑Figure Payday
The discussion shifts into the mechanics and cost of making weight, including the controversial rehydration clause, and how that tied into the financial negotiations. Eubank reveals he took on extra risk and performance compromise because the Saudis met his high asking price.
- •Walk‑around weight is ~180–185 lbs; he had to get to 160 and then was limited to gaining only 10 lbs before fight day.
- •Details the torture of the cut: sweatsuits, heated sheets, severe fluid depletion, and still being fined for 0.05 lb over the middleweight limit.
- •Explains how rehydration limits reduce performance, but he accepted them on himself (not Conor) in exchange for ‘life‑changing’ money.
- •Confirms he received an eight‑figure purse, far above his previous seven‑figure purses, and that the Saudis accepted his first number.
- •Notes standard boxing structures: base purse plus potential PPV upside, though he withholds exact contract details.
- •Despite saying he ‘doesn’t have to box again,’ he insists he’s still hungry for legacy and fan satisfaction.
- 1:42:30 – 2:10:00
Possessed In The Championship Rounds And The Hospital Reality
Eubank dissects the tactical and psychological pivot from technical boxing to pure trench warfare after sustaining a cut and feeling emptied. He then revisits his frightening post‑fight hospital experience, where severe dehydration left him unable to urinate and a neighbouring patient faced emergency surgery.
- •Describes how a headbutt‑induced cut convinced him ‘there was no more boxing’—only war and pressure.
- •Ignores his corner’s instructions to jab and move, telling them, ‘It’s too late,’ because he’d already committed mentally to a different fight.
- •Says by the last two rounds there was ‘no reserve tank’ and it became spiritual, not physical energy.
- •Explains post‑fight swelling as a result of dehydration rather than punches and recounts his body refusing to release any fluid.
- •Hearing doctors say, ‘We have to operate on him now, otherwise he’s gonna die’ about another patient snaps him out of self‑pity and makes him feel blessed to be merely injured.
- 2:10:00 – 2:26:00
Respect For Conor Benn, Rage At Doping, And The Egg Slap
Eubank separates his competitive respect for Benn’s heart from his moral stance on failed drug tests. He explains why he still hasn’t shaken Benn’s hand, why he sees PED use as nearly homicidal in boxing, and the symbolism behind the infamous egg slap.
- •Admits he underestimated Benn’s toughness and mental resolve, expecting him to wilt after six rounds, and now respects his heart.
- •Refuses to shake Benn’s hand until there is clear accountability for the two positive clomiphene tests; he rejects the ‘contaminated eggs’ narrative.
- •Equates PED use in boxing with ‘a form of attempted murder’ given the risk of death and brain damage.
- •Dismisses the idea that Benn’s emotional breakdown proves innocence, arguing guilt can produce the same reaction.
- •Says the egg slap—costing him a £100,000 fine—was ‘worth every penny’ as a permanent public marker of Benn’s failed tests.
- •Views his stance as a message to younger fighters that cheating won’t be quietly forgotten.
- 2:26:00 – 2:41:00
Business Of Rematches And Future Opponents
The pair explore the economics and strategy behind the rematch clause, what a second fight might look like, and which future opponents Eubank wants. He balances the excitement of another brutal night with the reality of massive financial incentives.
- •Confirms there is a rematch clause with improved terms for him if the second fight happens; losing would have cost him ‘millions.’
- •Notes that with the Saudis, ‘when they want something, they get it,’ making a rematch this year very likely.
- •Believes the rematch should be easier for him because he now has 12 rounds of data on Benn’s strengths and weaknesses.
- •Cites his emphatic revenge win over Liam Smith as proof he benefits hugely from second meetings.
- •Names his ideal next three fights: Benn rematch, then Canelo Álvarez, then potentially Billy Joe Saunders for legacy and personal reasons.
- 2:41:00 – 2:54:00
Walkout Theatre And His Father’s Perfect Song Call
Eubank revisits the now‑iconic ring walk, including his father’s last‑minute request to add a mysterious song. Initially resistant, he later realises the choice was artistically perfect and deepened the emotional weight of their reunion in front of tens of thousands.
- •Original plan featured ‘Simply the Best’ and an orchestra playing his long‑standing anthem ‘Still D.R.E.’
- •Senior arrives late into the process and asks for one specific song to be included, annoying Eubank at first.
- •On the night, the energy drops as the new ethereal song plays, creating a moment of calm focus on father and son standing together.
- •The song then transitions into the orchestral and then beat version of his walkout track, creating a cinematic, WWE‑like experience.
- •Eubank admits his father was right again: the song transformed the walkout into something unforgettable and symbolic.
- 2:54:00 – 3:14:00
Class, Hunger, And Proving A Privileged Kid Can Be A Dog
A viral clip of a teenage Eubank asking to box against his father’s wishes leads to a broader reflection on class, hunger, and why it’s so rare for middle‑class kids to become champions. Eubank argues his path may actually have been harder because he always had easier doors he could walk through.
- •Senior in the old clip insists rich, middle‑ or upper‑class kids never become champions because they lack hunger and are protected.
- •Eubank notes that clip was filmed in a multimillion‑pound house and he went to private school, highlighting the contrast with typical boxing origins.
- •Explains that most kids in his position would opt for easier careers when confronted with boxing’s suffering.
- •Says his father probably assumed he’d walk away at the first door of pain, but he instead chose to walk through every painful door despite knowing he had multiple alternatives.
- •Speculates that his father may have been deliberately doubting him to create a chip on his shoulder.
- 3:14:00
Family Politics: Matchroom, Frank Smith, And Divided Loyalties
The interview closes by touching on boxing politics inside his own family. Eubank explains why he doesn’t trust Matchroom, how that affects his relationship with their CEO Frank Smith—who is also his sister’s partner—and how those split allegiances play out around the Benn fight.
- •Reveals long‑time tension with Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Frank Smith, declining to sign with them due to lack of trust.
- •Claims Matchroom tried to block aspects of his career once he signed with rival promoter BOXXER, including via Frank Smith’s role.
- •Says any business sabotage overrides personal ties, leading him to cut off cordial relations with Smith despite him being effectively a brother‑in‑law.
- •Notes the bizarre dynamic of his sister and Smith going home together after the fight—she’s thrilled he’s won, while Smith is gutted their ‘golden boy’ lost.
- •Ends on a lighter note with the podcast’s closing tradition and his choice of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ as a timeless album.
