After the fight: Conor Benn and the parent-child pressure

Children of famous parents are influenced by their parents but inherit an unfair comparison. Conor Benn is making his own legacy apart from his father’s. 

We’re all influenced by our parents in one way or another. For the children of parents in the limelight, living up to their famous parent’s accomplishments is thrust upon them, but Conor Benn is taking the expectations in stride.

Nigel Benn made his mark in boxing as one of the best middle and super middleweights around. The two-division champion reigned as a world titlist for four years of his nine-year professional career. The British legend is held in high regard, and his son Conor entered the family business in 2016 as a 19-year-old with a brief amateur career.

Now 24, Benn is coming off of his career’s biggest win against durable welterweight Sebastian Formella. Benn was considered a brawler, but against Formella, and he showed the skills of a seasoned veteran who has the physical and mental tools to stir up the welterweight division.

Yes, Benn received a lot of attention because he’s the son of former champion Nigel, but he has shown that he’s not interested in obtaining a check due to nepotism, but he’s putting in the work to make his own path in boxing.

“When I turned pro, it was fun and jokes,” said Benn in a media call before the Formella fight. ‘It was enjoying the ride. When I got signed by Matchroom, it was all hype. And then it got real. As I went through the levels, there were certain things that showed that I needed working on.”

Those comments speak volumes about Benn’s mindset. Originally, he was high off of the fame and attention granted largely because of his lineage, but he discovered that he had to take the sport seriously if he wanted to prosper. He decided that he wanted to learn and grow as a boxer and not just siphon fame from his father’s legacy.

Most children of famous boxers pick up the sport because they love it. How could they not? They’ve grown up watching their parent do it, and they want to do it too. Most of us look up to our parents. Sometimes the infatuation with their profession wears off, but many take up careers because of their parents. Boxers included.

Skysports recently ran a story looking at the progeny of famous boxers. The Benn family was the focus, but noted boxing names such as Rahman, Duran, and Eubank were discussed. You could also add in the names of Holyfield, Frazier, and Ali for athletes that followed their famous boxing parents into the sport.

Conor Benn has grown so much as a boxer in four short years and should be celebrated for that accomplishment alone

When you’re a child of a famous parent and dedicate your life to the same career, comparisons will be made. It’s not fair, but people automatically begin to value the child’s worth related to the parent. It’s nearly impossible to measure up to a legend’s achievements regardless of the profession.

Some children surpass their parent’s fame. Arguably, Jane Fonda and Peter Fonda equaled, if not transcended their father Henry’s attainments. Easy Rider is one of the best films of all time, and Jane Fonda’s performance in Coming Home stands the test of time.

But for every Peter or Jane, there’s a Jeffrey or Marcus Jordan, whose passion resembles their parent, but how can you better Michael Jordan’s career? You can’t, but people still like to compare for namesake.

In boxing, few sons or daughters can supersede their parent’s success in the ring. Marvis Frazier fell well short of Joe, and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has lost his grip on reality largely because he has tried to live up to his father’s impossible standards.

Benn has likely taken note of these familiar occurrences, and he’s not trying to meet his father’s accolades.

“I don’t go around saying I am going to be a world champion. I just want to get the absolute maximum out of myself,” Benn told The Sun.

He added, “There are a lot of deluded fighters out there, and I don’t want to sound like them.”

Benn’s words demonstrate his maturity and composure. Becoming a world champion is a monumental feat. Not everyone can do it, and Benn is aware of that. He’s boxing because he loves it, and that should be enough.

Unfortunately, social media allows the average person to harass athletes and celebrities with no buffer. Musician Wolfgang Van Halen lost his father and guitar legend, Eddie Van Halen, on Oct. 6.

Wolfgang is a world-class bass guitarist and has played in the band Van Halen since 2006. After his father’s passing, he released his first solo single, “The Distance,” as part of the group Mammoth WVH in memory of his father.

Instead of praising Wolfgang’s remembrance of his father, social media trolls came out to tear him down. It’s disgraceful and shows the stress that children face when compared to their parents. It breaks many people, which is an occurrence that needs to stop.

Although his performance against Formella exhibited his athletic abilities and progress as a boxer, Benn may never be a world champion. If he enjoys life as a boxer, let him relish it and take it as far as he can go. Nigel was great, but Benn is also a talent who truly seems in love with the sport.

Let Benn savor his time in the ring. Nothing lasts forever, and we all deserve the right to pursue a career that fulfills us. Boxers are no different. Benn’s win was impressive, but give him respect as Conor, not just as Nigel’s son.