Chris Eubank Jr aims to relaunch career by sending Brit rival James DeGale into retirement

The 29-year-old faces the two-time IBF super-middleweight champion at the 02 Arena on February 23

CHRIS EUBANK JR is back in the deep end — and he knows defeat could see him washed up as a high-profile boxer.

After just one year and one underwhelming tune-up fight since his super-middleweight title loss to George Groves, he is taking on another of West London’s finest in the packed division.

When the fight with two-time IBF king and 2008 Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale was announced, 29-year-old Eubank refused to agree to a retirement clause, insisting he had too much in the tank to consider quitting.

But a third top-level defeat, having fallen short against Billy Joe Saunders in 2014 and The Saint last February after rebuilding, would leave him perilously close to rock bottom.

Most of the early bravado, which was not helped by his father embellishing his ability, has subsided.

Now the Brighton fighter concedes that failure on February 23 at the O2 Arena in London could run his dreams aground.



Sitting in his East Sussex gym without the guidance of Chris Sr, Junior said: “I am proud of what I have done but there is so much more I want to do.

“I want to become a world champion and win multiple belts, so this fight is make or break for me.

“I have to beat James in convincing fashion so I can go on to fight for world titles or legitimately fight the best, I cannot afford a flat performance.

“James was talking about the loser having to retire but I don’t really pay attention to that. Losing never comes into my mind but this is a fight I cannot lose.

“A defeat would leave me in a very difficult spot in my career. This is the most important fight of my life.”

To overcome the taller DeGale, a natural 12st fighter with a longer reach, Eubank will have to have dramatically improved on the courageous but basic brawler who was comfortably outpointed by Groves.

In a last-ditch attempt to improve, he has finally employed a full-time coach to work alongside veteran Ronnie Davies.

Nate Vasquez, a part of Floyd Mayweather’s team in Las Vegas, has moved into Eubank’s Brighton mansion, along with specific southpaw sparring partner Denis Douglin.

The mention of new room-mates puts a shock smile on the 27-2 fighter, who makes mean and moody look effortless.

Tucking the grin away after a rare outing, he said: “After ten years of living alone, it has been a bit of a shock. And it’s two men too, not a woman. A woman I could handle — but two men is different.

“It has been a huge undertaking and something I had to really get used to. Luckily, they are not animals or pigs.



“I got lucky, they clean up after themselves and it has actually been a nice experience. Would I have them live with me outside of a fight camp? Probably not but it’s working.

“I am happy. Everything is falling into place inside and outside of boxing.”

The role in the corner for his father, who was away on a trip to Africa, is yet to be decided.

Junior insists the relationship remains strong but says Vasquez will be the leading man in his corner, sliding between the ropes during the breaks and helping to formulate the game-plan.

DeGale has always spoken highly of his 52-year-old former two-weight world champion dad, but Junior admitted it has played on his mind when rivals verbally attacked his father over previous fights.

He said: “My dad is still around the same amount, he was not training me for the Groves fight, he was not in the gym with me every day, he never has been, he is a busy man with his own life.

“I can speak for myself. I also don’t need rival fighters targeting him to try to get under my skin.

“He is still a big part of the team, he always will be. Will he be in the corner on the night? We have not discussed that yet. But Nate will be No 1 in the corner.”

‘Next Gen’, as he has branded himself, does hope to have plenty of other family members in the ring.

Brother Seb made his light-heavyweight debut on the Groves undercard, cousin Harlem is a 7-0 prospect and half-brother Nathaniel Wilson is now part of the family after reconciling with Chris Sr.

Junior said: “We’ve got Team Eubank going. It’s great to have brothers and cousins fighting and involved in the sport.

“I will be trying to get some, if not all, of them on the bill. That would be a great thing to do. Seb spends a lot of time in Dubai, we used to train together a lot but we don’t really get to any more.

“Harlem is in and out of this gym quite often. I have never trained with Nathaniel but he is welcome down here anytime.”

Privately educated Eubank has been questioned for insisting on fighting at 168lbs when he is naturally more suited to the division below.

Junior now admits he is open to a return down to middleweight but has defended the fight game.

He said: “I would not say boxing is a mug’s game. It’s only a mug’s game if you don’t prepare and dedicate yourself to it, then it is a mug’s game 100 per cent.

“You are going to get beaten up, hurt, used. You are going to get put on shows to lose and not get paid. Boxing is a hard way to earn money.

“But if you are going to be responsible, if you are going to make it your life’s work and be in the gym every day, living and eating right, it is not a mug’s game.

“Done right, boxing is the most noble and amazing sport in the world.”

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/82863...le-retirement/