Tony Bellew believes Conor Benn has six rounds to see off Chris Eubank Jr when they meet next month.
Eubank Jr faces Benn in a middleweight showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 26.
Benn is moving up a weight class to tackle the Brighton man and former cruiserweight world champion, Bellew insists ‘The Destroyer’ must finish his rival in the first half of the fight and has backed him to do so.
“First six [rounds] I think Conor is going to be so ferocious, so brutal, so vicious,” the 42-year-old told Fightlens.
“I think he gets the job done then.
“But I will tell you what, if you have not got the job done by round six, that’s when weight classes exist for a reason.
“I actually think Conor is a far better fighter than Chris Eubank Jr is a boxer and that’s the problem Chris Eubank Jr is having.
“He’s got this thing in his mind that he’s a masterful boxer, no you’re not.
“I’m sorry, no you’re not.”
Eubank Jr has vowed to retire if he loses to the 28-year-old, five weeks on Saturday, but there is a two-way rematch clause in their contracts, meaning a sequel is likely to happen regardless of the result.
The pair, whose fathers fought in two classic world title battles in the 1990’s, were supposed to have fought in October 2022, but their bout was shelved on fight week after Benn tested positive for the banned substance Clomiphene.
The Essex man was cleared by the National Anti-Doping Panel in November and is expected to reapply for his British licence in time for the clash, having relinquished it soon after the positive tests emerged.
Turki Alalshikh, whose Ring Magazine is staging the contest, says the winner of the bout will be in line for a mega fight with Canelo Alvarez.
However, Bellew believes neither man has any hope of dethroning the Mexican great, who bids to become undisputed super middleweight champion again when he faces William Scull on May 3 in Riyadh.
“It’s insane,” he added.
“For the spectacle it’s huge isn’t it?
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“The reality of that would be the easiest night of Canelo’s night.
“This guy’s a former light heavyweight champion of the world.
“He knocked out Sergey Kovalev.”
