Cheltenham Kings Boxing Club head coach Sean Martin has revealed that blockbuster fight nights – like Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn – increase interest in the sport locally.
According to the Cheltenham-based coach, big British boxing events consistently attract people from all walks of life to the club. The famous Benn – Eubank family feud was well and truly reignited on April 26, as Chris Eubank Jr beat Conor Benn after a gruelling 12 rounds of action. The fight of the year contender was judged 116-112 to Eubank on all three scorecards.
It was another win for the Eubank family, who now hold two wins over the Benns. Chris Eubank Sr’s two bouts against Conor’s father Nigel Benn were unmissable fights that captivated the country. Eubank won the first fight by stoppage in 1990, with a second fight ending in a controversial draw in late 1993.
The most recent Eubank – Benn bout stole the hearts of the nation once again. Perhaps due to the huge hype beforehand which reached its climax as Eubank Jr turned up to the arena with his previously estranged father, who previously stated that the bout shouldn’t go ahead due to weight differences.
What an experience that was. An absolutely incredible fight with an amazing atmosphere to go with it.
— Toby (@tnixon29) April 27, 2025
Some seats empty at the top, so it wasn’t a ‘sellout’ as the Saudi’s like to report. 😂
That takes NOTHING away from the occasion. Eubank deserved that.#EubankJrBenn pic.twitter.com/kdxtsd71HF
Eubank won deservedly in front of 65,000 rowdy fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Ring reported that the event amassed over 20.3 billion total impressions in the first 40 hours.
Not only do these bouts act as incredible television. Blockbuster fights bring people to train locally. “Without a doubt they do. When there’s a big fight on, I walk through the town and there are little kids who say, oh, I’m coming back to the club!”
‼️ Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn generated around 620k PPV buys, The Ring has learned. pic.twitter.com/CtRlq5jSbi
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) May 1, 2025
Martin has been in charge of the Cheltenham Kings Boxing Club since 2013. He trains all ages and offers a number of different sessions. Some for fitness and leisure, others for those who box competitively.
“They’re all flooding in after a big fight’s been on. Even seniors, to be fair. Not just kids. Men as well. I might see them in the local gym and they tell me that they’re back on Monday. Yeah, it does happen quite a lot.”
With British Boxing entering a new ‘Golden Age’, the growth of local boxing sees no signs of slowing down. After knocking out Anthony Joshua last September, IBF Heavyweight and Champion and Brit Daniel Dubois is set to face the formidable Oleksandr Usyk on July 19 at Wembley Stadium. The event, which is for the undisputed world heavyweight championship, is sure to bring more interest to Martin’s Cheltenham Kings setup.
