‘Chris Eubank Jnr’s career and reputation is in tatters‘
As Gareth A Davies told us in The Telegraph and he may be right. It sounds a big statement, doesn’t it? Boxers often come back from losses and do well, even winning title, but Eubank has been round the boxing block a few times and, let’s be clear, the extraordinary situation surrounding this fight superheats this loss.
The Background
This is the fight that shouldn’t have been. It was supposed to be Eubank Jnr versus Conor Benn. I had issues with that fight to begin with, as I detailed several times in my podcast; my view was that this wasn’t about the Conor and Jnr versions of Benn and Eubank at all, this was about their dads.
Yes, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Snr, who had great fights that people remember. And so they can be sold, which, let’s be clear, there’s nothing wrong with – boxing needs to make a splash and also make money.
But it made it seem like they were avatars in a game theory dads were controlling, not boxers in their own right. That isn’t appropriate.It was thought that the more experienced Eubank Jnr would win, even if he had to cut weight alarmingly.
And then it happened. Twice, allegedly.
Conor Benn tested positive for a banned substance and the fight was off. It wasn’t a good time for boxing, this; all that hype, the disappointment, Conor Benn giving his up his license and suggesting, even recently, that the science would set him free.
Boxing needed to move on.
A Better Fight
Eubank Jnr did move on. To Liam Smith. And that was so much tastier; Benn is younger, his opponent record didn’t really stand out and that suited Eubank Jnr, who some would say didn’t have a lot of noteworthy names on his.
But Liam Smith, from the fighting 4-brother Smith family, has Munguia, Vargas, Alvarez on his record and he can really go. This was a far tastier and testier proposition for Eubank Jnr.
And it moved boxing on, people busied themselves with this great prospect and forgot about the other match, whilst Eubank Jnr said if he fought Conor Benn against, Benn would lose all his privileges around the weight decisions whilst many others favoured Jnr in this fight.
It Didn’t Go Well For One Fighter
It was pretty emphatic by the end, but before that? It was odd. Eubank Jnr came out double jabbing, Smith using his almost peek a boo defence, but it was a composed Eubank round.
The second was the exactly Eubank Jnr asking Smith to come at him, but he seemed strangely diffident; there have been concerns about him taking rounds off, but it was odd to do that so early on the fight – Smith took the opportunity to pop some shots in and show his opponent just how serious this could be.
That third saw a revitalised Eubank Jnr, adding Uppercuts to his repertoire, lead this round.
But that all changed in the next round, courtesy of a Smith uppercut which seemed to lift Eubank Jnr off his feet briefly; he staggered to his feet again and was allowed to continue by ref Victor Liughlin but was in no fit state after touching the canvas again and trying to fight Smith again as he was pulled away.
Credit; The Independent
What’s Next?
That’s not easy to say. Smith has returned somewhat with what some would say was an upset win. But will this mean a title challenge? Why? Eubank Jnr isn’t in that picture and beating him doesn’t put Smith anywhere near contention, surely.
And Eubank? He told Boxing Scene;
‘A tough night? No, I wouldn’t even say that… I was having fun, I was landing my shots, I was enjoying the moment. And he caught me with a, you know, once-in-a-lifetime shot.’
Credit; The Manc
And that could be the case. But it didn’t look good, that KO and because of the extraordinary sight it wrought, some have forgotten how close those 3 rounds were.
Credit; inews
It stops Eubank Jnr’s boxing impetus, but where was he going anyway? One man is certainly enjoying it.
Is Conor Benn the real winner here?