sport news Conor Benn 'more than' holding his own vs bigger sparring partners ahead of ... trends now
Conor Benn is undeniably disadvantaged heading into his legacy-defining pay-per-view clash against Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday night, in a bout reigniting an iconic family feud that helped birth a generation of boxing fans.
Forgoing height, reach, weight and experience aplenty, the recently-turned 26-year-old has a monumental task at hand as he bids to become the first Benn to record a victory over a Eubank, after his legendary father managed only a loss and a draw against Snr in their early '90s double-header.
But 'voice of boxing' Mike Costello, who has both seen Benn in sparring and heard whispers of 'The Destroyer's' pre-fight form, insists the gap between the pair perhaps won't be so pronounced in their 157lb catchweight clash.
Conor Benn (R) and Chris Eubank Jr (L) go head-to-head in an enticing showdown on Saturday
'Voice of boxing' Mike Costello says Benn has been getting the better of his sparring partners
'Most people I speak to, and it was the inclination I first had when it was announced, think Eubank will be too big,' Costello told Sportsmail.
'But when you start thinking about it more closely, you talk to people around the fight – for example [Benn's trainer] Tony Sims, who I’ve known for a long, long time – you can very quickly come round to the inclination that Benn can win this fight.
'You hear stories of how Conor fares in sparring, and I’ve seen him sparring with heavier fighters... look, he more than holds his own.'
Indeed, Benn, who will put on an additional 10lbs for the bout as he climbs up from welterweight, has remained supremely confident throughout the build-up to the bout, regardless of the antics coming from the opposition corner.
Benn has demolished Chris Algieri (left) and Chris van Heerden (right) in his last two outings
The Destroyer - a pseudonym fitting of Benn's recent form - was initially deemed to possess a fraction of his father's capabilities, dropped twice in the first round against journeyman Cedrick Peynaud early in his career, with a world title shot a largely unrealistic target.
But in the last two years Benn has developed into one of Britain's most enticing prospects, storming up the welterweight division with impressive wins over Chris van Heerden, Chris Algieri, Adrian Granados and Samuel Vargas.
Now heading into the biggest test of his career, Benn has been sparring the likes of middleweight pair Felix Cash and Brad Pauls - and, according to Costello, holding his own.
The Destroyer has been sparring middleweight contender Felix Cash ahead of the fight
While Benn
