Chris Eubank Jr hit the canvas in a moment of madness against a major underdog.
While most remember ‘Next Gen’ tumbling toward the floor against Liam Smith, few are aware of the first time he was dropped.
On Saturday night, Eubank Jr will take on Conor Benn in the biggest fight of his life.
And it goes without saying that ‘The Destroyer’ will be hoping he can become the next boxer to knock the former IBO champion off his feet.
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Chris Eubank Jr was dropped by Nathan Decastro
In 2011, at the Yarborough Leisure Centre in Lincoln, UK, Chris Eubank Jr went to war with Nathan Decastro in an amateur contest.
While the son of a legend’s opponent wasn’t expected to win, he quickly made his presence felt, dropping Eubank Jr with the very first punch he connected with.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Decastro reminisced: “There were one thousand people there for me and it’s something I’ll remember for a long time.
“I dropped him with the first punch I landed, and he tried to claim it was a slip. But you can clearly see in the video that I caught him with a right hand.
“It was a good tear-up and one of the best amateur fights I’ve been a part of.”
Following a brutal war of attrition, Eubank Jr won a decision. However, their rematch wouldn’t go the distance, with the future boxing star winning again, this time, via stoppage.
Decastro added: “The first fight we had a war. In the second fight, which was on Sky, he boxed cleverly, and I wasn’t quite on my game.
“I hadn’t been training and I’d been on the p— for two or three weeks. So I was just a fraction behind the pace, and he caught me with a good shot.”
Chris Eubank Jr faces huge fine after missing weight for Conor Benn fight
It’s now 14 years since Eubank Jr’s amateur bout with Decastro. And while the pair shared an intense rivalry, it’s nothing compared to the feud the ferocious athlete has with Conor Benn.
The boxing stars truly despise each other, with the build-up to their contest filled with twists and turns, from Benn failing a PED test ahead of their first scheduled bout, to what transpired at the weigh-ins earlier today.
Despite his best efforts, the naturally bigger man couldn’t make the 160-pound limit, and has consequently received a significant punishment.
Much to the dismay of his fans, Eubank Jr has been fined a massive amount.