Vastly experienced Scottish referee Victor Loughlin, from Barrhead, is the referee tasked with keeping Chris Eubank Jnr and Conor Benn in check when they clash in their 12-rounder on Saturday night at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The contest, which is several years in the making, is set for 160lbs but due to Eubank Jnr operating at middle and super middleweight for his entire career, and Benn making his name at welterweight, a rehydration clause was drawn into the contract. It stipulates neither fighter can weigh more than 10lbs over the divisional limit of 160lbs on the morning of the fight.

The official weigh-in takes place at 11am (GMT) on Friday, with a ceremonial weigh-in – one with all bells and whistles for the cameras – set for 6pm. The fighters will then be weighed again, separately, at their hotels on Saturday morning. The timings of those final weigh-ins are yet to be finalized but will be agreed with the boxers on Friday night. A source told BoxingScene they will take place “early in the morning” to ensure rehydration procedures can continue.

Loughlin is no stranger to Eubank Jnr, having refereed two of his previous fights. Both were noteworthy. The Scot oversaw his fateful victory over Nick Blackwell, who was rushed to hospital with a brain injury in the aftermath, in March 2016 and rescued Eubank Jnr when he was unexpectedly beaten by Liam Smith in January 2023. Loughlin has refereed 706 fights since 1996 but he’s yet to preside over a contest involving Benn. However, he did score Benn a 99-92 winner over Sebastian Formella in November 2020 in his role as one of the three ringside judges.

The three judges on Saturday will be Lee Every, Kieran McCann, and Mark Bates, who all, like Eubank Jnr and Benn, come from England.