'I floored Chris Eubank Jr with first punch of fight - Conor Benn can do the same'

Conor Benn has been backed to drop early in their grudge match by a man who did precisely that. The pair meet in a at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, more than 30 years after their fathers began their storied rivalry, featuring two thrilling fights.

Eubank, who usually fights at super-middleweight, is the favourite to defeat Benn, whose previous 23 fights have been at welterweight. However, the smaller man has vowed to knock out his foe in front of more than 60,000 fans. He could even floor his opponent straight away, according to bare-knuckle fighter Nathan Decastro, who left Eubank on the canvas seconds into their amateur bout in 2011. Eubank recovered to win on points but he was given a stern test by the Lincoln man, who now fights in BKB bare-knuckle promotion.

"It was the first punch of the fight," recalled Decastro. "I went out, threw a one-two and caught him. He didn't look happy when he got up and it ended up being a hard fight for me. He won on points, but it was close.

"He stopped me when we boxed again. I think he wanted to prove a point after I dropped him. I showed he can be caught early. My coaches told me before the fight, 'Jump on him straight away, don't let him settle into a rhythm', and it nearly paid off."

Decastro says Benn needs to do the same to stand a chance. He added: "Maybe Conor can jump on him, catch him early, put him down and keep him down. Conor can definitely punch and he always starts fast, so he has a chance of pulling it off, but I still go for Eubank to win the fight."

Eubank Jr was already a big name in amateur ranks in the early 2010s, and Decastro still has healthy respect for his former opponent. He told the "He was all right, he was sound. He's gone on record to say it's one of the best fights he's had.

"He's said he still remembers the fight and that I was a great fighter. I've seen him about since and we've spoken. There's mutual respect there, he's a great fighter."

DeCastro had seven wins - five by KO - as a pro boxer before ditching his gloves to fight bare-knuckle. He is currently setting his sights on a rematch with the sport's pound-for-pound number one, Lorawnt T Nelson.

DeCastro has a history with the American. He dropped 'Smash' in each of the opening two rounds when they fought in October 2022, but the fight was waved off due to significant eye damage.

DeCastro, who is looking to return to the trigon in September, said: "I had him and then my eye went. It was devastating. The rematch is the fight I want. I know I can knock him out next time."