Chris Eubank Jr believes he is in line for some huge contests.
Eubank, 33-3 (24 KOs), revealed this week that he will be involved in “more than one mega fight” over the next 12 months and mentioned Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Conor Benn and Billy Joe Saunders as potential opponents.
It was left to Sky’s lead commentator, Andy Clarke, to mention the possibility of a fight with unbeaten light heavyweight and social media sensation, Ben Whittaker, 8-0 (5 KOs).
“I haven’t heard that. I didn’t know that was a conversation. Two entertaining, brash light-skinned fighters who love to put it on the line and show off in that ring. Of course it’s good. That’s a sexy fight,” Eubank said before providing a hint that he was trying a little too hard to appear surprised. “What weight class is he?”
Maybe – just maybe – we should take Eubank at his word. After all, he has proven time and time again that he intrinsically understands the benefits of a well built rivalry and has never before been shy about naming his targets.
Considering just how quickly the cogs began turning in Eubank’s mind once the subject of a future fight with Whittaker was broached, however, it does stretch the limits of credibility to believe that one of boxing’s most commercially aware fighters was taken aback by the suggestion of a fight with an Olympic medallist who appears to have genuine crossover appeal.
After all, the 34-year-old recently signed a new, lucrative deal with Boxxer and Whittaker would have leapt out from even the most cursory glance over their roster.
“I genuinely have never thought about that,” Eubank insisted. “I’ve watched him. Actually, it’s pretty insane how popular he is in terms of social media. He’s getting a lot of attention. I don’t know how many fights he’s had. He hasn’t fought anybody but his style and everything he’s doing is getting him a lot of attention on social media, which is great.
“That’s really what England needs. It’s very rare to have that in the UK. There’s not many fighters who get that attention on social media.”
Within a few seconds, Eubank had warmed to his topic and had already begun to create a narrative surrounding the weight differential.
While Whittaker is a light heavyweight, Eubank has been fighting at middleweight for five years but it could be argued that his most impressive performances and most important victories – against Arthur Abraham, Avni Yildirim and James DeGale – came during a two-year purple patch at 168lbs. He has also been campaigning long and hard for a fight with unified super middleweight champion Alvarez.
Eubank Jnr will return to action within the next couple of months as he tries to position himself as a potential opponent for the Mexican superstar’s 2025 Cinco de Mayo appearance but maybe he has also sunk the first shovel into the ground and started to prepare the foundations for a future fight with Whittaker.
“Who knows? Listen, I got up to 190lbs this year. I don’t know how. I’ve never been that weight before,” he said.
“I’m 34-years-old, maybe the metabolism is slowing down but I got on the scales and I was 190lbs. Is that light heavy? Who knows.”
Read the full article here
