Harlem Eubank Returns Friday; Says Cousin, Chris, Has Nothing Left To Prove
Just six days after watching his cousin Chris Jr. slump to a painful defeat to Conor Benn, Harlem Eubank will return to the ring to fly the flag for his famous family.
For the first time, the 31-year-old welterweight contender was not ringside Saturday night to watch his cousin in action. Harlem Eubank (21-1, 9 KOs) rested because he has his own pivotal fight against Josh Wagner (19-1, 10 KOs) looming large on the horizon, Friday night at Brighton Centre in Brighton, England.
“I wanted to be there for Chris,” Eubank told The Ring. “I’ve always supported him and been there for all his fights. But I kept to myself and watched it from home. It’s a sacrifice I had to make with Friday’s fight so close. We have to make these sacrifices to do what we need to do to go in there and win.”
Eubank’s last outing ended in anticlimax July 5, when his anticipated domestic clash with Jack Catterall was cut short, quite literally, after just seven rounds in Manchester. An accidental head clash opened up wounds on both fighters and it was decided by referee Bob Williams that Catterall was unable to continue.
By that point, all three judges had Catterall ahead on the cards, which meant Eubank suffered the first loss of his career via technical decision. It means a shock defeat against underdog Wagner, the 33-year-old from Ontario, Canada, on Friday would be a devastating blow to his world title ambitions.
But Eubank rejected the idea that the heat has been turned up on him by the result of the Benn-Eubank rematch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. When asked whether he felt a duty to go and win in the wake of his cousin’s defeat to Benn, he said, “I think there is always a duty no matter what. We’ve always gone in the ring and done our best to uphold the family name, the respect and the level of expectation that comes from being in this family, with everything my uncle Chris achieved both in and out of the ring.
“I want to go in there and make him proud and continue to uphold that legacy that’s been left already. I feel like we always carry that, regardless of what Chris does.”
The subject of what Chris does next has been brought into sharp focus given how vulnerable and toothless he looked against Benn. He was dropped twice in the final round and lost wide on all three cards.
The 36-year-old Eubank hinted at problems during training camp, although he refused to outline exactly what they were. He also refused to comment on his future.
Chris Eubank Sr. has made no secret of the fact he wants his son to retire, and his cousin can understand why.
“It wasn’t easy to watch,” Eubank said of Saturday’s main event. “He was unable to do what he can usually do in the ring. You could see that he wasn’t a fraction of the fighter he really is from round one. I hope he takes some time to relax and see to the issues he has going on. He should take some time to reflect on how far he’s come. He’s achieved so much in the sport and I don’t think he has much left to prove.
“After the last fight I said I don’t want to see him taking shots anymore as a family member – but he’s a fighter. The spirit of a fighter is what he's always had, and you can’t take someone’s character away from them. It will always be up to him and him alone on what he chooses to do, and I will support that.”
This week, however, he is fully focused on beating Wagner and unlocking what could be a huge 2026 for the family.
“I’m not looking past Friday, but I have plans to become world champion next year,” Eubank said. “A guy named Josh Wagner stands in my way, so I have to go and take him out.
“Winning this fight puts me in the top 15, but Wagner will come with a lot of hunger and a desire as a challenger to change his life. I’m doing the same, nothing changes.”
