Like everyone else embedded in the British boxing scene, former world champion Ricky Hatton will be a keen viewer of the upcoming and long-awaited grudge match between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr.

The two rivals are due to finally meet in the ring inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on April 26; a fight which comes about two-and-a-half years after their initially scheduled bout was cancelled after Benn failed a drugs test in advance of the contest.

The fight, which is a new chapter in a decades-old rivalry involving both men’s fathers, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn who combined for two blockbuster bouts in the early 1990s, in inching nearer and Ricky Hatton is of the opinion that the contest will be a close one — but confirmed that he expects Benn will triumph when all is said and done.

“A lot of people are favouring Eubank a little bit because let’s have it right, Conor has not boxed nowhere near the level of Chris or the people Chris has fought,” Hatton told Sky Sports, as noted by Big Fight Weekend.

Hatton added that many are backing Eubank because he is naturally the bigger man but Eubank believes that this could work in his opponent’s favour.

“Chris will be boiling himself down a little bit. The last time he did boil himself down a little bit, he ended up stepping in with Liam Smith and got knocked out.”

He added: “That will help Conor. It’s really 50/50 to me but I, knowing Nigel like I do and Conor like I do-the self-belief that Conor has. He has that real self-belief and drive and will to succeed like his Dad did. I think that might give him the edge. So I’m gonna go with Conor.”

Conor Benn is a perfect 23-o in his career and very much stepped up to the plate in wins over the likes of Chris Algieri and Chris Van Heerden but Eubank has likley faced the sterner competition in the likes of Liam Smith, George Groves and Matt Korobov (among others).

The winner of the fight has also been touted as potential future opponent for Canelo Alvarez, so with that potential payday in play there is a lot riding on their fight later this month.