Trainer/manager Eddy Reynoso says unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez has no interest in fighting 160-lb contender Chris Eubank Jr. for his next title defense. Reynoso revealed the reports of ongoing fight discussions are “totally false.”
Reynoso states that Eubank Jr. had the chance to face Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs) for his last fight on September 14th, but he made things complicated with the negotiations. So, there will no longer be any further talks.
Eubank Jr’s manager, Ben Shalom, told the media this week that talks were underway for a fight with Canelo. It’s unclear when the talks ended because Reynoso says they moved on last September for Canelo’s title defense against his WBA mandatory Edgar Berlanga.
U.S. fans will be glad that Canelo isn’t wasting one of his valuable fights on defending against the 35-year-old Eubank Jr. He’s a fighter with a fluff record with no real relevant, non-washed-up names, and he’s not shown much interest in facing top level guys since losing to George Groves in 2018.
Eubank Jr’s best career wins came against older, past-their-prime fighters Liam Smith, James DeGale, and Arthur Abraham.
“It’s totally false,” Eddy Reynoso said to Fight Freaks Unite about the reports of Canelo negotiating to fight Eubank Jr. “Eubank had his chance to fight Canelo in September, and the only thing he did was complicate the negotiations. We will not touch base with him again for a future fight! Whatever I tell you is always true! I don’t like making statements, but what I declare is true.”
Eubank Jr. looked poor in his recent fight against veteran Kamil Szeremeta on October 12 on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. He’d come off a 13-month layoff and looked rusty en route to knocking out Szeremeta in the seventh round.
The boxing public hopes that Canelo fights undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev next or the winner of the David Benavidez vs. David Morrell fight on January 25th. Beterbiev would be the best bet if he could get an exception from the IBF to delay his mandatory defense against Michael Eifert.
Last Updated on 10/30/2024
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