CONOR BENN opened up on the trauma of attending a religious school who believed he was possessed by demons.
after his dad – ex-world champion Nigel – needed a fresh start.
Conor Benn opened up on the trauma of attending a religious school who believed he was possessed by demons
The British boxing legend – leading to a suicide attempt – before finding God.
Benn – raised in a Spanish mansion – and his siblings were raised in a fundamentalist Christian school – where he was left mentally scarred as a young boy.
He told the BBC : “Growing up it was just very religious. They believed I had demons in me as a kid, the school.
“For me that was really hard, to sort of try and understand because I’d sit. there and I look back and I go, I look at my son and I go, ‘How could anyone think that there’s anything wrong with you because you may be a little bit energetic, because you can’t sit still in class?’
“To the point where they believe, ‘Yeah, you’ve got demons in you.’ That was the hardest thing to sort of understand.
“And then you’re sitting there going, ‘Well, what’s wrong with me? Why me? Is there something wrong with me?'”
Benn, who remains a devout Christian, added: “It was very traumatic. You were waking up in the morning and not knowing whether the Antichrist was here.
“As a kid you’re easily influenced by people in these positions or power. Looking back – because I don’t often reflect on it – you think it’s pretty evil.”
Benn and his family eventually moved to Australia when he was 18 – where he began boxing as an amateur.
After just 22 bouts and 20 wins in the unpaid ranks, Benn moved back to England before turning pro in 2016 aged 19.
He has always had his dad in his corner
Benn revealed: “How did we mend our relationship? Just being honest with each other, sitting down together, a lot of tears together – we’ve cried hand-in-hand and cuddled.
“We’ve broken down and been vulnerable with each other. If I could only tell you how many times we’ve cried on each other’s shoulders.
“It took some time and a lot of therapy for me to forgive. Now I look at my dad and think ‘you’re my hero’. He was always my hero.”
Benn’s dad famously lost to Chris Eubank Sr in 1990 – before drawing three years later.
Three decades later and their sons signed for an October 2022 second generation grudge match.
But Benn was pulled out of the grudge match after failing two Voluntary Anti-Doping Association tests.
He was found to have had clomifene – known to boost testosterone levels – in his system before protesting his innocence.
Growing up it was just very religious. They believed I had demons in me as a kid, the school.
Conor Benn
The British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping provisionally suspended Benn – who vowed to fight his case.
But he took his career to America for two wins up at 150lb – before UKAD later dropped the case – allowing to fight in Britain once more.
Benn revealed he contemplated suicide as his career and reputation was left in tatters – but it was dad Nigel who helped him through it.
He revealed: “I couldn’t have done it without my dad. We were both sinking together really – we were struggling together,” Benn said.
“The amount of times I came home sobbing, and I mean like a little child, like my four-year-old son would to me.
“I would tell my dad that I didn’t know if I could make it through and he was there for me.”
Benn, 29, was beaten by Eubank, 36, in their April thriller but supporters, were treated to a Fight of The Year contender, setting up Saturday’s rematch on DAZN PPV .
And Benn said: “I fight for [the public] and I want to entertain them – that’s a heavy priority for me.
“Every time I get in the ring, I give everything I have, every ounce of blood and pour my heart out.
“It took me years and years to understand that I’ll never be enough for [the public]. Why? I’m doing my best.
“I’m a kid doing his hardest to be my dad because he’s my idol and hero.”
Chris Eubank Sr with son Jr and Conor Benn with dad NigelCredit: Getty
Benn lost on points to EubankCredit: Reuters 
