Liam Smith v Chris Eubank Jr

[TIC]

jack massey v joseph parker & richard riakporhe v krzysztof glowacki to be on this card

[Master]

Heavyweight Joseph Parker and cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe will fight on the undercard of Chris Eubank Junior's bout with Liam Smith on 21 January.

New Zealander Parker returns for the first time since being stopped by Joe Joyce against another Englishman Jack Massey in Manchester.

Riakporhe faces two-time cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof Glowacki.

"It is going to be fireworks," said Londoner Riakporhe.

Riakporhe, 32, is undefeated in 15 professional fights and aims to continue his push for a world title with a win over the experienced 36-year-old Glowacki.

The Pole has two defeats in his last three outings after losses to Lawrence Okolie and Mairis Briedis.

"He won't be a pushover, I have to be at the top of my A-game," added Riakporhe.

Massey, 29, is stepping up to heavyweight for the first time to face Parker, a former world champion in the division.

"Massey has been pushing for a big fight and he has jumped at this test against Joseph Parker," promoter Ben Shalom said of the match-up.

"He has got huge support in Manchester and now he'll be fighting one of the biggest names in boxing."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/64057737

[Master]

Chris Eubank Jr is planning a major year and has set out his wishlist for fights in 2023.

"Golovkin number one because he has those middleweight belts and it's a fight that can and should be made," Eubank told Sky Sports.

"I guess Canelo would be number two. He's the big name. He's the guy everyone knows in the sport and I think I can beat him. Those would be my two Christmas wish list fights for the rest of the year."

Golovkin has been an opponent that Eubank Jr has targeted for many years. In 2016, they came close to signing a contract to fight, only for that bout to fall through.

Last year Golovkin unified the IBF and WBA middleweight titles when he beat Ryota Murata in Japan.

Although he lost to Canelo Alvarez in a lacklustre performance in September, that was at super-middleweight. The Kazakh therefore still holds his championships at 160lbs.

Now Eubank believes 2023 is the time for that fight to happen.

He says it would be "a huge shame" if that Golovkin fight were to elude him again.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...6611bf763b2e5b

[Master]

Recently, both men came face-to-face for Sky Sport’s ‘The Gloves are Off’ and Eubank Jr was surprised to find out that Smith is only a year older than him.

Eubank Jr accused Smith of not putting in enough effort in the gym, to which the Liverpudlian responded: “You can’t have the career that I’ve had without putting the work in the gym.

“You’re not a young man yourself by the way,” Smith continued. “You’re 33, but I’m 34 and you can’t have the career I’ve had without putting in the work in the gym.”

“You’re 34 yearsold?” Eubank Jr said, clearly shocked. “You look about 50.”

“Don’t let the grey hair fool you,” Smith replied. “I’ve been grey since I was 28, so don’t let that fool you or it will be your downfall.”

Eubank Jr continued to wind up his opponent, as he responded: “Whatever you’re eating or drinking, just chill out with that, because it’s not working for you.”

Smith finished by saying: “If you want to talk about lifestyles, you’re just a clown.”

This clip was posted on Sky Sports Boxing Twitter and Smith replied to the tweet with a picture of himself and Eubank Jr in the gym as younger men, pointing out his opponents hairline.

He posted: “Let’s not forget, soft s****, you looked about 50 when you was 26 with that daft hair line. Before your trip to turkey.”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1...pponent-clown/

[Master]

34-year-old Smith recalled memories of past sparring sessions with Eubank Jr, telling Boxxer: “I remember just thinking like, ‘Look at him...’

“I haven’t even said, [but] I remember getting out the ring and Ronnie Davies [Eubank Jr’s trainer] saying, ‘You can hit him when you want to hit him.’

“I know Chris can be hurt to the body; I’ve openly said it, I know I hurt him to the body. He’ll tell you different, but he’s telling you he’s never been hurt in his life, so that’s just Chris.

“Obviously size made it an even spar, and that’s what I’m trying to say now. Size here is making this fight a 50-50, or a great fight as people are saying.”

Meanwhile, Eubank Jr said his memory of the sparring sessions is less clear.

“I think it was in Amir Khan’s gym, but I don’t remember exactly how it went down,” he said.

“I don’t remember if I hurt him. He says he hurt me to the body and nearly put me on the canvas. I think that is a whimsical tale.

“We’re both probably two different fighters compared to what we were back then. Well, I know I am; he may not be, but I am.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...fa9b84c72539b7

[Primo Carnera]

I’m gonna throw this out there. I’ve been one of Eubank Jr’s biggest critics on here as a boxer and the shit he comes out with.
Well my opinion of him as a boxer has never really changed.
Anybody who matches up Size wise with good boxing skills and ring IQ will beat him. He’s always been fit, durable and teak tough. And if he was able to get away from his Dad’s influence as a kid and wasn’t so arrogant that he would listen to a good trainer, he could’ve been amazing. But he’s not.
However, as a bloke , as time goes on, I’m really warming to him. He’s a proper funny cunt, great sense of humour and knows that he is getting under the skin of the rest of the fighters.
Liam Smith , even though he denies it, has really let this 50% bollocks get under his skin. It’s fucking hilarious!
I still give Smith a fair chance in this fight because he can box, but Eubank does have a size advantage and will just keep coming at him.
Good matchup though.

[Master]

Roy Jones Jr has insisted Chris Eubank Jr does not need him in his corner to beat Liam Smith, and he is preparing him for possible future bouts with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.

"For Liam Williams or Liam Smith, Chris doesn't need me to beat these guys because the fighting Chris Eubank can beat both of these guys," Jones Jr told Sky Sports' Toe2Toe boxing podcast.

"However, he doesn't bring me in for these particular fighters, he brings me here to help him get better prepared for names like GGG (Golovkin) or Canelo.

"When you go with these guys, you can't be the old Chris that just goes out and lets his hands go, you've got to be a tactician, you've got to have a little bit more knowledge behind what you're doing.

"He's looking down the line at the bigger fights where he knows he's going to need more than just blasting people out with combinations, that won't work against these bigger guys, against Canelo or GGG."

"He [Eubank Jr] is bigger than Liam Smith, and if he's bigger than Liam Smith then a toe-to-toe fight is in his favour because he's the bigger fighter," Jones Jr said.

"He's been fighting super-middleweights and middleweights, Liam Smith has been fighting junior-middleweights and middleweights, so Chris is definitely the bigger fighter.

"It all depends on how the fight goes, or how Chris chooses to fight the fight. If Liam comes in early and engages with Chris, and Chris hurts him, it's going to be a problem because Chris is the bigger fighter.

"At the same time, I think down the stretch is where Chris really gains momentum, because the longer the fight goes, the better it usually is for the bigger fighter."

"I think he [Eubank Jr] brings a lot to the table anyway, however, I feel like a good fight against Liam Smith would definitely make them say, 'ok, here's a guy who's worthy, who has a name, who has a whole country behind him'.

"Because if he beats Liam, he's clearly the best middleweight on this side of the pond, so now let's bring the best middleweights from that side of the pond, or wherever they're from, and let's make it happen.

"So I think a good win, and a stoppage for sure, definitely makes people have to open their eyes and realise he's definitely a contender and deserves a shot."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...4dcf734993f0aa

[Big J]

I think Eubank Jnr takes a tight decision in a tough fight