My message to Chris Eubank Junior after a chastening clash with Conor Benn

How wrong I was.

Shoreham’s Tommy Welch tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career. It will be tough for him, but, with a few notable exceptions, every great fighter in the history of the sport has tasted defeat.

He will regroup, decide the way forward and be better for the whole experience.

But as for the Sussex fighter topping the bill, Chris Eubank Junior, that’s a whole different shooting match.

In whatever walk of life, you have to take ownership of your mistakes and errors, so – full disclosure – I was convinced that after their previous fight in April, Eubank Jnr would be too big and strong for Conor Benn, and this time the fight wouldn’t go the distance, with CEJ stopping his opponent in the mid to late part of the fight.

And that’s hype for you, because on analysing the situation over the past 24 hours, this whole scenario has been a masterclass in smoke and mirrors, almost a fusion between PT Barnum and Hans Christian Andersen.

And I bought into it right up to and beyond Eubank’s somewhat flamboyant ring walk on Saturday night.

You have to take positives from every occasion, so at least I know who 50 Cent is now. And I’m still convinced Eubank’s elaborate white fur robe was borrowed from the Liberace museum in Las Vegas!

And then nothing…

Straight from the pages of the legendary Danish author, Eubank Junior truly had all the hallmarks of the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’. Twelve rounds of a shot fighter, going through the motions. Some questioned whether he was listening to the instructions by his corner, Bo Mac, a trainer who sits at world boxing’s top table.

You can’t take anything away from Benn, his well documented journey would have seen many men wilt, but he didn’t.

That said, many would argue he fought a mannequin, with some limited moving parts, for 12 rounds. Having rewatched the fight, Benn and his father, the legend that is Nigel, will probably concede given the perceived quality of his opponent on the night, he should have finished it earlier, ironically around the 6th ,7th or 8th rounds I predicted on Friday.

But, with age on his side, his box office draw, Conor will now hopefully go on to become a genuine British boxing great like his father.

As for Eubank Junior, his stock is low, so low there’s no way at 36 he can even contemplate getting back to his previous levels.

Our lounge host at the Lane, Johnny Nelson, asked post fight, who would want a third fight? And with nearly 200 people in there, no-one put their hand up, Benn will go on to fill more stadiums, Benn vs Eubank 3 wouldn’t fill the Withdean Stadium!

So there is only one legitimate option, retirement.

A reported £10m payday from Saturday night goes a long way to softening the blow, along with the upcoming arrival of his first children, twin boys.

Eubank Junior has entertained, but boxing wise has he under-achieved? That an interesting question, but what he has done, something that his bank manager and accountant would confirm, is earned generational money, regardless of what anyone else says, which financially secures the future of those two little boys.

The bottom line is, however the mode of defeat and regardless of the disappointing performance, no-one was made to go Spurs on Saturday night, or watch it in the pub, or pay DAZN £25 to watch it at home, so as they say on the Island Of Love, "It is what it is".

So Chris, sit back, enjoy your money – but even more importantly enjoy good health and your two new youngsters.