The Independent

Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League match against Aston Villa has been moved forward by two days ahead of Spurs’ potential participation in this season’s Europa League final.

The match has been moved to aid Spurs’ potential preparations and recovery ahead of the final, with the Lilywhites now travelling to Villa Park on the evening of Friday, 16 May, having originally been scheduled to face Villa on Sunday, 18 May at 2.15pm.

The Europa League final takes place on Wednesday, 21 May, and Spurs are currently well-placed to earn a spot in Bilbao, having beaten Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in the first leg of their semi-final.

Ange Postecoglou’s side could well face Manchester United in the final, with the Red Devils having beaten Athletic Bilbao 3-0 away in the first leg of their tie. Ruben Amorim’s side will also play in the Premier League on the Friday night as they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs requested last month that their match be moved, though Villa rejected to the potential alteration, citing that there was no precedent for the Premier League moving matches in this type of scenario. Villa themselves had played every three or four days in April due to Champions League and FA Cup commitments.

In addition, the club had planned several pre-organised activities for the match as it is their final home match of the 2024/25 season.

Spurs had originally requested that the game was moved to 15 May, though the game will now kick off at 7.30pm the day after. It is understood that the match will remain scheduled for the same day even if Spurs were to be knocked out of the Europa League this week.

The second leg of their semi-final takes place in Bodo on Thursday night, with kick-off at 8pm BST.

Jarrod Bowen rescued a point for West Ham United as they laboured to a 1-1 draw at home to a second-string Tottenham Hotspur.

Bowen scored his 10th Premier League goal for the season to cancel out Wilson Odobert's first for Spurs.

With Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou placing all his eggs in the Europa League basket he made eight changes to rest his first-choice players for Thursday night's semi-final second-leg trip to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt.

With Spurs minds clearly elsewhere and West Ham likely wishing away the remainder what has been a dire season, this was a match both teams could have probably done without, and it showed.

The scores of empty seats around the London Stadium for a derby summed up the apathy surrounding the club, who have now collected just 14 points from 15 matches under the increasingly beleaguered Graham Potter.

Not even the battle to avoid finishing as the lowest team in the Premier League outside of the relegation places could liven things up. As it is, West Ham remain in 17th and Spurs just one place above them, still on course for their lowest top-flight finish since they were relegated in 1977.

However, there was the bizarre sight of Lucas Paqueta seemingly in tears after receiving a second-half yellow card for a foul on Mikey Moore - the Brazilian is still awaiting the outcome of the FA hearing into allegations he deliberately got himself booked in four matches.

Tottenham were gifted the lead in the 15th minute when Hammers defender Max Kilman had two stabs at making a pretty routine clearance, but hit Mathys Tel with both of them.

The second time Tel was able to smuggle the ball away and square it across goal, where it was missed by Aaron Cresswell leaving Odobert the simple task of finishing past Alphonse Areola.

But West Ham responded just before the half-hour mark when Bowen beat the offside trap to run on to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's through-ball.

The Hammers skipper scampered into the penalty area, cut inside and slipped the ball through the legs of Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario at his near post.

Spurs could have gone back in front six minutes before half-time when Paqueta's lazy pass went straight to Richarlison.

The Brazilian found Tel on the edge of the box and continued his run, collecting the return pass and fizzing it across goal, but no one was on hand get the final touch.

In the second half Niclas Fullkrug headed over for West Ham while Pape Sarr was inches too high with a fierce drive from the edge of the box.

Bowen almost put the hosts ahead with 10 minutes left but his glancing header was brilliantly clawed away by Vicario, and James Ward-Prowse curled a free-kick just wide in stoppage time.

PA

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UEFA on potential Manchester United v Spurs Europa League final

Jamie Braidwood

Friday 02 May 2025 16:32 BST

UEFA has confirmed that the Europa League final will remain in Bilbao's San Mames stadium even if both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur reach the final.

Both teams secured advantageous wins in their semi-final first legs, putting them in strong contention for a spot in the final.

An all-English final would offer both underperforming Premier League teams a chance to salvage their seasons and secure Champions League qualification.

Despite the high demand for tickets from English fans, the final will not be moved to an English venue, as Bilbao was awarded hosting rights in 2021.

Each finalist will receive up to 15,000 tickets, with an additional 11,000 available for general sale.

Tottenham host Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals as Spurs look to take a step closer to ending their 17-year trophy drought.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have endured a miserable season in the Premier League but have kept their campaign alive by reaching the final four in Europe, with Spurs showing character to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt away from home in the quarter-finals.

They will face a unique opponent in the semi-finals. Bodo/Glimt are looking to become the first Norwegian side to reach a European final, eight years after they were playing in the second division in Norway.

Bodo/Glimt will be huge underdogs but they knocked out Italian side Lazio in the quarter-finals and will hope to stay in the tie ahead of next week’s return leg in the small town of Bodo, which is inside the Arctic Circle.

When Bodo/Glimt prepare for a game like Tottenham Hotspur, one policy is to try and not look at the names. The tiny Norwegian club has plenty of experience there, having faced Lazio, Arsenal, Manchester United and Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic during their recent rise.

The aim is to just see players as units, and their various strengths and weaknesses. It is a very rational way to look at something that could otherwise involve a lot of emotion, particularly for an Arctic Circle town that has a population of just 55,000 - almost 8,000 less than the 62,850 capacity of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“We only think it’s funny to show we can be as good as any name in the world,” says defender Odin Bjortuft.

The general perception of these four Europa League semi-finalists, and how they view football, is going to hugely frame the outlook of these ties.

On either side of both semi-finals - Bodo/Glimt v Tottenham Hotspur and Athletic Club v Manchester United - there are two fan-owned clubs who organically built on what they’ve got.

Bodo are authentically one of the great stories of modern football. Their run to become the first Norwegian club to reach a semi-final is not just something that shouldn't be possible. It is all the more impressive since it has been achieved after years of sustained progress. This is no one-off. They are a model of diligently building on what you have, and being "smarter" about it.

“If you go back 10 years, the club was nearly bankrupt,” says director of football Havard Sakariassen. “Nobody has given us money outside of prize money or us doing well. There is no owner here. Nothing like that.”

Athletic have meanwhile enjoyed a rebirth, as their famous recruitment policy feels like it now offers even greater value in the modern game. By only selecting players who are connected to the Basque Country, they have benefited from the area’s burgeoning talent production. Club legend Ernesto Valverde is meanwhile a coach who just fits, and last year’s Spanish Cup win is seen as having given the club a badly-needed new confidence, as they lifted their first trophy in 40 years. They’re now going for a second in two as well as a first European trophy, all in their own stadium. There’s considerable romance to all this.

On the other side, there are two billionaire-owned clubs that have burnt through billions of Premier League and Champions League money in the last few years alone. And yet here are United, boosted by the return of Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt, and Spurs, likely without Son Heung Min are, desperate for a Europa League to save their seasons - and maybe more.

While there are obviously pure football and emotional reasons for both to want to win this trophy, there’s also an inescapable financial reality. They both need the victory, and Champions League qualification, to satisfy PSR rules and future growth. It isn’t quite what the great glory of European football is supposed to be about.

These two semi-finals have nevertheless become about admirable diligence against extreme waste; immense over-performance against jaw-dropping under-performance.

It’s hard to know what should be more unlikely: Bodo getting this far, or both United and Spurs being so low in the Premier League. The English two are somehow disproving Sakariassen’s true point that “it’s easier if you have money, that’s for sure”.

While none of this is to argue that it would be better for two Premier League clubs to go out, many in European football are only too keen to talk about potential moral lessons.

It was following last season’s Europa League final, after all, that Gian Piero Gasperini described his Atalanta’s win as a victory for “meritocracy”.

“There is still scope for ideas and football doesn’t have to come down to cool, hard money,” he said.

While so much of the modern game seems to be going in the opposite direction, especially with the expanded Champions League, there are figures in Uefa who were conscious of this. These semi-finals show why seemingly innocuous regulations are so important.

Had the original idea for the expanded Champions League been in place, where two positions would have absurdly been awarded based on past performance, clubs like United and Spurs could well have had a safety net. Senior voices like Theo Theodoridis worried this might be going too far. Fan pressure was crucial.

Now, both Spurs and United might be forced into more calculated thought about what next, just like their semi-final opposition.

It is why Bodo can be “an inspiration”, as Sakariassen puts it, for even clubs much bigger than those in Norway. They might also show the way football is going. Much like Liverpool on a different scale in this season’s Premier League, Bodo have made a virtue of “performance culture”. It really is that simple in terms of explanation, if obviously difficult to execute. They began to think about how they could maximise every area of the club.

“They have used their limitations as advantages,” says Jens Haugland, chief executive of the Norwegian league. “We need to be driven by very strong performance culture, because we can never compete in terms of money. Bodo is a clear example. They have done it for many years and are also able to repeat the performance. You can never buy a performance culture from money, you can never buy an attitude from money, you can never buy a collective from money. You need to work in a very detailed and systematic way for many years.”

Athletic, famously, have an identity you can’t buy with money, either. It is similarly instructive that, when Michel Platini first tried to get Financial Fair Play through 18 years ago, he turned to a prominent Athletic fan. The then Uefa president received crucial legal support from European Union Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. This wasn’t out of any club bias, but really about what football culture should encourage.

It is impossible not to wonder what some of the Premier League executives might make of being forced into Athletic’s recruitment policy, given that there are now voices at United who want PSR loosened. Bodo pursue a strategy that is similar to Athletic almost by definition, in having mostly Norwegian players, because that’s just the market they’re in. "Their main pitch to me was they could help make me better.” Bjortuft says. “Bodo/Glimt have been really good at picking players who can give everything for the team.”

Praise isn’t universal, of course. There has been some criticism for how Bodo have benefited from that same Uefa prize money mechanism, with Sakariassen admitting “a lot of Norwegian clubs probably see it as a big obstacle”.

Some rivals around the Basque region meanwhile "despise" Athletic for "poaching" their players. Euro 2024 star Nico Williams was taken from nearby rivals Osasuna at 11. On the other side, both Arsenal and Chelsea are looking at him for the summer. Wealthy English clubs want Bodo manager Kjetil Knutsen.

Money does tend to win out. The likelihood is that one of United or Spurs will win to reach the final. If they do, however, there are still considerable lessons to take from their opposition. Neither Bilbao nor Bodo see it that way. They have full belief. It’s the conviction that comes from commitment to a unique identity. They are convinced they can give the best lesson possible.

Ange Postecoglou has hit back at people who he says are trying to “diminish” Tottenham’s bid to reach the Europa League final and rejected comparisons with Erik ten Hag winning the FA Cup with Manchester United last season.

Spurs face Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals and will host the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night as they look to reach a European final and win their first trophy since 2008.

Postecoglou is under pressure as a result of Tottenham’s poor Premier League campaign, with Spurs 16th and Sunday’s 5-1 defeat at Liverpool their 19th of the league season, but said the club have an “unbelievable opportunity” in Europe.

Ten Hag saved his job for a few months by beating Manchester City at Wembley to win the FA Cup, with the Tottenham manager potentially entering a similar make-or-break window, but Postecoglou said the two situations could not be compared.

“I’ve seen people trying to diminish it in some respects,” Postecoglou said ahead of the semi-final first leg. “I’ve heard people say, ‘well it’s the equivalent of Man United winning the FA Cup’. No it ain’t. I’m sorry. Not on any world is it the equivalent.

“Others are suggesting we are not worthy of the Champions League. Again, things that are designed to diminish what’s ahead of us, which is an unbelievable opportunity. Irrespective of how this season has gone we have generations of fans who want this more than anything else, a special moment watching this football club.

“Look, this season could have gone very differently and we could be flying in the league but it wouldn’t make this opportunity any different. The opportunity is the same and I’ve made that clear to the players. What we have before us is a semi-final in a European competition and the opportunity to win a trophy and get Champions League football.”

James Maddison backed Postecoglou and said the Tottenham squad was “100 per cent” behind the Australian.

“He’s the first person to tell you and I’ll tell you myself we’ve had a poor season in the league,” Maddison said.

“We’ve been very good in Europe but the league season has probably been unacceptable and we can all take a collective responsibility for that, but he’s my manager, he’s my gaffer, and I respect him an awful amount.”

The decisive day may finally have arrived for Liverpool as they seek the point they need to secure a second Premier League title.

An outstanding first season under Arne Slot has seen them establish a dominant advantage at the top of the table, and Liverpool will be crowned champions in front of their home fans at Anfield provided they avoid defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. Having been denied the chance to celebrate their breakthrough success under Jurgen Klopp in 2020 due to Covid, the city should be fit to burst if Slot’s side do get over the line with several games to spare.

Hoping to delay the inevitable are Spurs, guided by a boyhood Liverpool fan. Ange Postecoglou insisted that those loyalties are long gone as he looked ahead to this game, with the Australian looking to spoil the title party - though the manager will no doubt have half-an-eye on next week’s Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt, too.

A draw will be enough for Liverpool to win the Premier League for a second time

The decisive day may finally have arrived for Liverpool as they seek the point they need to secure a second Premier League title.

An outstanding first season under Arne Slot has seen them establish a dominant advantage at the top of the table, and Liverpool will be crowned champions in front of their home fans at Anfield provided they avoid defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. Having been denied the chance to celebrate their breakthrough success under Jurgen Klopp in 2020 due to Covid, the city should be fit to burst if Slot’s side do get over the line with several games to spare.

Hoping to delay the inevitable are Spurs, guided by a boyhood Liverpool fan. Ange Postecoglou insisted that those loyalties are long gone as he looked ahead to this game, with the Australian looking to spoil the title party - though the manager will no doubt have half-an-eye on next week’s Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt, too.

Follow all of the latest from Anfield with our live blog below:

When would Liverpool lift the trophy?

Even if the Reds get the result they need today, they won’t be lifting the Premier League trophy at Anfield.

Instead, Arne Slot’s side will have to wait until the final matchday of the season to lift the trophy – they play Crystal Palace at home on 25 May.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 14:25

Head-to-head

These two sides have met a total of 186 times in the past, with Liverpool winning 92, Spurs winning 50 and 44 ending as draws.

They have met three times this season already too, with Liverpool winning 6-3 in the reverse fixture in December before beating Spurs 4-1 on aggregate in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 14:12

John Barnes believes ‘the character of the squad’ has taken Liverpool to title

Former Liverpool winger John Barnes believes character rather than quality has been the difference in this season’s Premier League title race.

Arne Slot’s side need just a draw to win a second title in five years as only two league defeats all season has left them 12 points clear with five matches remaining.

Barnes won two league titles with the club and was a member of the 1990 side which was the last to win the championship before a 30-year wait was ended by Jurgen Klopp and he sees similarities with the team of his era.

John Barnes believes ‘the character of the squad’ has taken Liverpool to title

Arne Slot’s side need just a point to win a second title in five years.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 14:00

Match facts

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 15 home games against Tottenham in all competitions (W11, D4), winning the last three while scoring four goals each time.

Tottenham have won just two of the last 24 Premier League meetings against Liverpool (D6, L16), with both victories coming at home.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 13:45

Will Jurgen Klopp attend Liverpool’s final Premier League game of the season?

Officially, there has been no word yet from Liverpool that Klopp will be at Anfield when they lift the Premier League trophy on Sunday 25 May.

But it seems very much possible.

Klopp, 57, will return to the city two days prior, as a guest speaker at the LFC Foundation’s annual Gala Ball on Friday 23 May. The German is an honorary ambassador for the club’s official charity.

He will attend the black tie event at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, with the prospect of him staying in the city over the weekend for the title celebrations a possibility.

Will Jurgen Klopp attend Liverpool’s final Premier League game of the season?

The Reds will lift the Premier League trophy after the match against Crystal Palace on 25 May

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 13:30

When could Liverpool win the Premier League?

So, one more point would be enough for Liverpool to seal the title, meaning they will win the Premier League if they draw or win against Spur today.

Liverpool’s next game after Tottenham is a trip to Chelsea on Sunday 4 May, followed by facing Arsenal at Anfield on 11 May. The Reds could therefore receive guard of honour at Stamford Bridge and from the Gunners at Anfield in the next few weeks.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 13:20

What do Liverpool need to win the Premier League title today?

Liverpool are within touching distance of securing the Premier Leaguetitle but Arsenal’s draw with Crystal Palace on Wednesday night delayed the victory parade until at least the weekend.

Had the Gunners lost, then the title would mathematically have been heading to Anfield but, despite Jean-Philippe Mateta’s sublime finish snatching a 2-2 draw for Palace, Arsenal narrowed the gap to 12 points with four games to go.

Liverpool’s victory over Leicester City last weekend had moved that advantage to 13 points but as Mikel Arteta’s Gunners got marginally closer to Arne Slot’s side, one more point is still required for the Reds to make mathematically certain.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 13:15

Arne Slot vows to make up for Liverpool’s ‘Covid title’ by winning Premier League in front of packed Anfield

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits his side have a big responsibility to fans to win the Premier League at Anfield.

Five years ago Jurgen Klopp’s team lifted the trophy in an empty stadium due to Covid restrictions, having won a first title in 30 years by 18 points.

Although there were celebrations outside the ground – both on the night they were confirmed as champions after Manchester City lost at Chelsea when Liverpool were not even playing, and the final game of the season – there was no victory parade for fans to show their appreciation.

Slot wants Liverpool to win Premier League title in front of packed Anfield

Liverpool last lifted the trophy five years ago in an empty stadium due to Covid restrictions, their firsr title in 30 years

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 13:05

Former Liverpool fan Ange Postecoglou hoping to spoil Anfield title party

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou insists he has moved on from his "boyhood" crush on Liverpool as he targets being a party pooper at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool can clinch the title with a point at home to Spurs, who could equal their tally of most defeats in a Premier League season if they lose for a 19th time in the division this weekend.

Postecoglou's primary focus is on next week's Europa League semi-final first leg tie with Bodo/Glimt but the Australian was asked about his previous affinity to the Merseyside club ahead of a potentially pivotal day for Arne Slot's team.

Former Liverpool fan Ange Postecoglou hoping to spoil Anfield title party

The Tottenham manager was a boyhood supporter of the Merseyside club but insists those loyalties are long gone

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 12:55

Is the match on TV?

When is Liverpool vs Tottenham?

Liverpool vs Tottenham is due to kick off at 4.30pm BST on Sunday, 27 April at Anfield.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with build-up starting at 4pm, straight after the Bournemouth vs Man Utd game.

Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action at Anfield on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass hereto watch without a subscription.

Chris Wilson27 April 2025 12:45

Liverpool need just one point to secure the Premier League title as they host Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Arne Slot’s side are on the brink of their second league title in five years, following Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in midweek. The Reds only need to avoid defeat against an out-of-form Spurs team to guarantee the 2024/25 title.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s late winner last weekend at Leicester took them a step closer to an unassailable lead. A second Premier League title would draw them level with Manchester United in English top-flight league titles, at 20.

Spurs, meanwhile, are a lowly 16th in the Premier League table and have lost four of their last five league games, including a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Monday. Ange Postecoglou’s side are, however, in the semi-finals of the Europa League, where they face Bodo/Glimt in their first-leg on Thursday.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Premier League clash.

Liverpool vs Tottenham is due to kick off at 4.30pm BST on Sunday, 27 April at Anfield.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with build-up starting at 4pm, straight after the Bournemouth vs Man Utd game.

Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action at Anfield on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will be pushing to start after returning from injury last week with a match-winning goal at Leicester.

Joe Gomez is a long-term absentee. Other than that, Slot should have a fully-fit squad to choose from.

Tottenham captain Heung-min Son missed the game against Forest due to a long-running ankle/foot injury. With Spurs’ biggest tie of the season to come in Europe, it seems unlikely that Postecoglou would recall the South Korean at Anfield.

Centre-back Radu Dragusin is another long-term absentee.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Diaz, Salah, Jota

Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven; Spence; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Johnson, Richarlison, Solanke

Liverpool win 1/4

Draw 5/1

Tottenham win 17/4

It all comes down to this: Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn meet in a grudge match tonight, more than two years after they were first due to fight – and over 30 years after their fathers last clashed.

In 1990, Eubank Sr stopped Nigel Benn, who fought his rival to a draw in their 1993 rematch. Now, the sons square off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in a unique extension of their fathers’ feud. And there is genuine bad blood between Eubank Jr and Benn, with the former taking great issue with his opponent’s adverse drug-test findings in 2022, which thwarted their planned bout that year.

Benn, 28, was subsequently suspended in Britain but fought twice in the US, staying unbeaten and finally being cleared to box on home soil in late 2024. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Eubank Jr has competed three times since, trading stoppage wins with Liam Smith and TKOing Kamil Szeremeta more recently.

Tonight, Benn fights two weights above his usual division, as he meets Eubank Jr at middleweight, although the latter was heavily fined for a minor weigh-in miss and also had a rehydration clause to battle; but he weighed-in under the 170lb allowance this morning. While Eubank Jr was fined £375,000, he is expected to make over £10m tonight, with Benn reportedly earning closer to £7m.

All aspects make for a huge night for British boxing, as the rivals top a stacked card in London. What’s more: Nigel will be in his son’s corner, and despite Sr’s strained relationship with Jr, the latter arrived in a last-minute plot twist – despite vowing to boycott the bout. Follow live updates and results from Eubank Jr vs Benn and the undercard fights, below. Purchase the event on DAZN here.

Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn LIVE

Round three

Better jabbing start from Eubank but then BANG! The first major breakthrough of the fight!

Benn connects with a great one-two that knocks Eubank back. You could see it register on the 35-year-old’s face, that hurt.

Benn goes again with the overhand right, wayward this time. But it’s Eubank who finishes the stronger, landing a stiff right to the body in response to a round that was surely Benn’s, who is growing in confidence.

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:31

Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn LIVE

Round two

Benn’s corner emphasising the fact the first round is out the way. Feels he’s going to grow in confidence from here on in.

Referee calls a brief pause to make it absolutely clear that he wants no punches when the pair are called to break.

Eubank lands with a left-hand low but it opens him up to a right from Benn, which knocks him back a bit. Jr keeps going for the jab but isn’t having much luck with it so far.

Right hook from Benn who is continuing to dive in with big shots, evoking a big reaction from the crowd. Benn then gets into good range and tries to left hand go, but can’t connect.

Bell rings and Eubank says something to Benn on the way to his corner. We are two down.

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:27

Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn LIVE

Round one

BELL RINGS, WE ARE UNDERWAY!

The referee insists Eubank comes back to the centre and touches gloves. But here we go.

Eubank looks for the right hand early on but it’s Benn who’s aggressing. Wild left flies over as Eubank tries to whip in a long uppercut.

Benn once again shoots with a massive left but doesn’t connect. Sharp start from both guys as they try and find their range. They’re fighting in the middle of the ring, we’re getting the tear-up we were promised.

Final minute of the first, lots of upper body movement from Benn but Eubank connects with a left hook to the head. Benn is going for some huge overhands but isn’t getting close enough.

Plenty thrown, not much landed.

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:22

Michael Buffer makes sure Nigel and Chris Sr get their flowers

Michael Buffer honours Nigel Benn and and Chris Eubank Sr, who get a rousing ovation from the 65,000 in attendance.

Time for the introductions. This is electric.

“LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEE!”

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:17

Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn share a moment

This is a great scene.

Chris Eubank Sr is in the ring with Nigel Benn and greets Conor with a big hug before the two bruisers are unleashed. Conor doesn’t reciprocate the gesture as much, he’s clearly locked in.

In fact, he’s standing dead middle of the ring and staring down Eubank Jr - he has to be pulled back to his corner by his team.

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:13

Here comes Chris Eubank Jr

Still in awe that Chris Sr is a part of this. He ties up his son’s fur robe and follows him into the cauldron.

“Simply The Best” is the song that plays over the speaker - the same his dad used to use.

However, his welcome is not exactly a positive one. Not even the presence of Sr has stopped the boos from raining in.

Eubank Jr, nevertheless, is relishing his role as villain. And either way, this is a walkout for the ages.

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:09

Conor Benn comes out to the same song his dad did, over three decades ago

There’s big-fight feel.

Conor Benn is being sung out by a choir to the tune of “Ready Or Not”.

And it’s the same track his father walked to the ring with, over three decades ago, that he comes out to. So much history.

Legacy is on the line. Can he do what his Nigel couldn’t and beat a Eubank?

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:05

Michael Buffer steps into the spotlight

“Let’s get this party started.”

The legendary Michael Buffer is upon us. The national anthem has been belted out, time for ringwalks.

First up, Conor Benn.

Will Castle26 April 2025 22:01

Raucous atmosphere as main-event ring walks loom

It’s cold in the stadium, but the crowd is warming up now. An impassioned rendition of “Sweet Caroline” rings out, meaning the ring walks for the main event are imminent. Don’t go anywhere.

Alex Pattle26 April 2025 21:54

Chris Eubank Sr speaks on shock arrival: 'I love my son'

Who would’ve expected this a few hours ago?!

Will Castle26 April 2025 21:52