Conor Benn: "Church told me I was possessed by demons aged 12"

[Ruthless-RKO]

Church told me I was possessed by demons aged 12 - Benn

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing.

At the centre of Conor Benn's heavily tattooed torso is a large cross and at the bottom of his stomach he has the words 'Fear God' inked on his skin.

Since childhood, Benn has been a devoted Christian but his commitment to the faith has endured some serious tests.

Benn moved to Mallorca, Spain with his parents and siblings as a young child, spending 12 years there.

From the outside his life had all the trappings of luxury but the reality was much different.

"I lived in a beautiful home - a beautiful mansion - and went to private school," Benn told BBC Sport.

"It was very heavily Christian, very religious. School was very extreme and church was very extreme."

"Christmas was blasphemy so we couldn't celebrate it," he added. "Everything was just a lot."

Benn, 29, attended a fundamentalist Christian school, and was told the "world was coming to an end".

His parents had fully signed up to the evangelical life and the experience left Benn with scars that cut far deeper than those he has sustained inside the boxing ring.

Around the age of 12, the school believed Benn was "demon-possessed".

"It was very traumatic," Benn said.

"You were waking up in the morning and not knowing whether the anti-Christ was here.

"As a kid you're easily influenced by people in these positions or power.

"Looking back - because I don't often reflect on it - you think it's pretty evil."

As Benn prepares for a rematch against Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday and attempts to avenge the only defeat on his professional record, he tells BBC Sport about his memories of the church and how he eventually forgave his father, Nigel Benn.

Benn's father, Nigel, is a former two-weight world champion and moved his family away from England for a fresh start.

Nigel was dealing with personal issues after leaving boxing. These included sex addiction and a suicide attempt, and he thought the church would guide him in the right direction.

"At that time, my dad was vulnerable with everything going on in his life," Benn said.

"My dad had gone through things in life that I couldn't understand. I was too young. He had moved out [of the family home] and lived with the pastors for a year."

With the school's influence over his parents, Benn felt isolated and like he had no one to turn to.

"My parents, I can't say necessarily believed the school, but you've got to remember you've got pastors in a position of power that make you feel like maybe there is something wrong," Benn added.

"They had me fooled because I thought there was something wrong with me."

Benn was unable to break free from dark thoughts even when he was back at the family home.

"I was having nightmares, this recurring nightmare, and would wake up petrified," Benn said.

"I was just a kid and shouldn't have been having those dreams or fears."