Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn look destined for a rematch after their much hyped meeting delivered a crude but undeniably thrilling contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
It was the pre-fight favourite and naturally bigger man Eubank Jr who came out on top, with all three judges seeing it eight rounds to four, or 116-112 in his favour.
It was a fair verdict after the 35-year-old came on strong down the stretch having had his hands full with the smaller and quicker Benn for much of the evening.
The pair, whose fathers fought twice in the 1990s, put on an exhilarating spectacle in north London, but the physical toll of each fighting outside of their natural weight was apparent in the gruelling latter stages.
Eubank Jr struggles to make the middleweight limit at this point in his career and was further hindered by a rehydration clause which prevented him from refuelling effectively after the weigh-in.
He was clearly diminished on the night, while Benn, who stepped up two weight classes, looked increasingly ragged as he shipped punishment from the bigger man. Eubank Jr spent the night in hospital after a recommendation from the on-site doctor.
Eubank Sr, who reversed his decision to boycott the event and arrived alongside his son, repeated his claim that the fight was dangerous, saying that boxing must “respect weight classes” and added that he hoped there would not be a rematch.
A second instalment seems inevitable, however, with the fighters having already agreed a two-fight deal and Benn, 28, calling for it to be run back.
“It’s a hard one to swallow,” a teary-eyed Benn (23-1) told a press conference after his first career loss.
“I didn’t come into the fight thinking it would be that close, I didn’t come into it to lose, I came in to win and I was not good enough and I need to do better.”
He continued: “I want the revenge, I want my revenge.
“I think inactivity played a big part, I think it took me back. I had Eubank hurt multiple times but I couldn’t get the finish and I’ll make sure for next time that the finish is there.”
That inactivity was caused by Benn being caught with the banned substance clomifene in his system and he was booed and jeered to the ring as a result.
This performance is likely to have gone some way towards rehabilitating his public image – as will the good grace he and his father showed in defeat.
After an over the top build-up framing it as the ultimate grudge match and family feud, there was very little animosity on fight night, with plenty of respect and even affection shared between the camps.
As expected, Benn came out hot, with the more elusive Eubank Jr doing well to evade the majority of his big shots.
Both boxers raised their level in the closing stages as they scented victory, triggering frenzied roars of appreciation from the crowd as the punches thudded in.
By the 11th round, the weight and height of Eubank Jr was taking its toll on Benn, who looked a shell of his earlier self as the fight swung in the favour of his rival.
Benn was out on his feet by the final bell and it was enough evidence for the judges to score a clear win in favour of Eubank Jr.
Despite branding his son a “disgrace” for his February press conference egg slap on Benn, Eubank Sr was in Junior's corner as they settled a public falling out.
Victory for his son means the Eubank name remains on top of the Benn’s after his father’s victory and draw against Nigel Benn in the 1990s.
“A lot, it was special,” Eubank Jr (35-3) said about his father’s appearance being a boost. “He needed to be here, all of this is because of what he did and we did it again.
“I’m happy to have this man with me. I’ve upheld the family name like we said we were going to and so its onwards and upwards.
“The fact that our fathers did what they did all those years ago, it brings out another soul and spirit and that’s what we both showed tonight.”
Eubank Jr did not attend his post-fight press conference after being sent to hospital for checks.
“Everything surprised me, I didn’t know he had what he had in him,” Eubank Jr added on Benn.
“I thought I’d break him early, I underestimated him, I didn’t train for a fight like that, he’s never shown that, then again he’s never had to show it, he had to show it tonight and so did I.”
Saluting his son's bravery, Eubank Sr said: “He couldn't move around the ring, he had to stand toe-to-toe and that is legendary behaviour in the ring. I am so proud of him.
“Conor Benn is an extraordinary fighter and you saw that tonight. I thought he would go out in four or five rounds but he was strong throughout the fight.”
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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