Chris Eubank Jr v Liam Williams

**Master** · 01-14-2022 11:59 PM

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) has written to Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford to clarify whether Chris Eubank Jr's middleweight fight with Liam Williams can go ahead.

Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena is set to stage the bout on Saturday, 5 February.

In a letter seen by BBC Sport Wales, the BBBofC say it will not be viable to hold the event in Wales without fans.

Current restrictions in Wales mean the fight would need to be staged behind closed doors.

Ministers will look at easing Wales' Covid rules when restrictions are reviewed next week, Mr Drakeford has said.

But he said it was a "big if" whether the situation would allow any change to be made.

Wales' main sporting events will be held without spectators this weekend.

That is in line with government policy in Wales, with large outdoor meetings prohibited since Boxing Day in the fight against Covid-19.

It appears highly likely sporting events in Wales on the weekend of 22-23 January will also be played behind closed doors.

Swansea City have moved their Championship game with Preston on Saturday, 22 January to a 12:30 GMT kick-off to allow fans to stream the match.

There are currently strict limits on the number of people allowed to meet indoors in Wales, a huge issue for staging boxing, with two-metre social distancing rules applying in public places.

In Wales nightclubs are currently closed, with limits on hospitality businesses, sporting events and who people can meet indoors and outdoors.

Eubank Jr's middleweight fight with Williams has already been postponed twice, most recently after the BBBofC suspended boxing for the month of January.

It was originally scheduled for 11 December, but was put back to 29 January after Williams suffered a shoulder injury.

In a letter sent to Mr Drakeford, BBBofC general secretary Robert Smith says the event would be important for Welsh boxing, but warns that a venue in England will be sought as a replacement unless clarity is offered on whether a full crowd can attend.

"Throughout the pandemic we have kept regulations under regular review, with our approach being informed by the latest available scientific and medical advice," a Welsh government spokesperson said in response.

"The cabinet is reviewing the situation on a weekly basis."

Williams and Eubank Jr, 32, have a bitter rivalry and a win for either man will boost their chances of securing a world title shot in 2022.

The fight moving away from Cardiff would be a blow to Wales' Williams, 29, who has rarely enjoyed home advantage in the biggest bouts of his career.

It remains possible the fight could be postponed for a third time, allowing sufficient time to sell tickets if restrictions in Wales are relaxed.

The fight with Eubank Jr will be the first for Williams under new trainer Adam Booth, following his decision to split with Dominic Ingle.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/59967644

**Master** · 01-27-2022 02:05 PM

Chris Eubank Jr claims ‘garbage’ Liam Williams ‘getting put to sleep’ in grudge fight

Chris Eubank Jr. has promised to hit Liam Williams “with every shot in the book” when the two enter the ring in Cardiff on 5 February.

The 32-year-old will take on the Welshman on his home turf at the Motorpoint Arena, having beaten Wanik Awdijan in his most recent bout in Newcastle in October. Williams, meanwhile, lost to American Demetrius Andrade in Florida in his last event as he unsuccessfully challenged for the WBO middleweight title.

Eubank Jr. began his career in the middleweight ranks stepped up to super-middleweight in 2017, before moving back to the middleweight class at the end of 2019. He is the strong favourite to take victory when he faces Williams next weekend, and says he doesn’t believe his opponent has any stand-out qualities whatsoever.

Asked for an overview of Williams in an interview with iFLTV, Eubank Jr. said: “Garbage. Absolutely. There is nothing. He has nothing at all. He is going to get hit with every shot in the book. He is going to get hit up and down the ring for as many rounds as I want it to go, and then he is getting put to sleep.

“I don’t pick rounds, it will end when I want it to end. I will have fun, enjoy myself, and then end the fight when I want it to end.”

Regarding the Cardiff venue, Eubank Jr. believes he performs better when playing the “villain” and enjoys feeling the wrath of the crowd.

“I’m happy to go into somebody’s back yard. I’ve been the villain plenty of times in my career, and it has actually served me well.

“If it is good energy I feed off it, and if it is bad energy I feed off it. So if it is a hostile crowd with people in their booing me and wanting me to lose, I’m going to use that to make myself fight harder and better.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...cid=entnewsntp

**Master** · 02-01-2022 02:19 PM

Liam Williams claims he can knockout Chris Eubank Jr ahead of highly-anticipated grudge match

Liam Williams is confident he can knockout Chris Eubank Jr when the pair clash later this week.

The middleweight title challengers will meet in a Battle of Britain clash at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on February 5.

Williams, 29, is currently in Redhill training for the fight with Eubank Jr's former trainer Adam Booth.

And the Welsh warrior firmly believes he will be able to beat the Brighton-based fighter by any means necessary.

Williams told The Ring: “It does mean a lot because it’s going to push either one of us on to really big things.

“I just think, it could be a hard 12-round fight but I also believe I do have the power to stop him.

"I think, I win and I will do whatever it takes to get that win.

“I just think it’s a very exciting fight, I’m absolutely buzzing for it. This is a really good opportunity for me to re-break out there.

"I know I’ve had some big fights before but I think Chris is a good name to put on my record and I think people will sit up and really take notice and I’ll be in some big fights afterwards.”

Williams was last in action over six months ago when he was defeated by WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade in Florida.

That was the third loss of his career with 'The Machine' also coming up short on two occasions against Liam Smith.

But he insists that he is now a changed man after switching training camps.

He added: “I do rate him, I think he’s a good fighter. He’s got a lot of strengths; he’s also got some weaknesses.

"He’s got a good engine, good punch-output, he’s very tough and has a good chin but it’s nothing I haven’t come up against before and I honestly think I’ve got the tools to do the job.

“There’s things I can work towards in terms on breaking him down and getting that edge over him.

"I’m sure he’s seen things he thinks he can exploit with me but it just depends on who turns up on the night with the best plan and who sticks to it.

“Adam’s 100 percent, by far, the best coach I’ve ever been with.

"He breaks things down, technically he gets everything bang on. He reads everything so well and breaks everything down. He’s an unbelievable coach.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...cid=entnewsntp

**Master** · 02-01-2022 07:34 PM

Eubank Jr vs Williams: Undercard

MAIN EVENT: Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams

Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin – for WBA, WBC, IBF and The Ring middleweight titles
Otto Wallin v Kamil Sokolowski
Chris Jenkins vs Julius Indongo
Caroline Dubois vs Vaida Masiokaite
Samuel Antwi vs Conah Walker – for BBBofC English welterweight title
Rhys Edwards vs Ruslan Berchuk
Steve Robinson vs Shane Gill

Eubank Jr vs Williams: Undercard
Subject to change

Eubank Jr: “Respect is definitely not a word I would use for my feelings towards Liam. He has said a lot of reckless things online. It doesn’t sit well with me.

“This is a grudge match, a genuine domestic rivalry. It is personal. He has made it personal. He has come here today and tried to talk about respect? It has gone too far past that now. He will pay for what he has said. He will get embarrassed.

“A real, true-life keyboard warrior. That’s what Liam Williams is.

“I’m No 1 in Britain, he’s No 2. So it’s going to be fireworks, it’s going to be an exciting fight and I can’t wait to get in there.”

Williams: “We all know what his strengths and weaknesses are.

“Anyone with a good jab and a bit of movement he’ll struggle with. If you stand in front of him with no head movement, he will punch holes in you.

“He’s very tough and durable.”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1...-vs-ema-kozin/

**Master** · 02-03-2022 07:54 PM

'ALL BARK' Chris Eubank Jr reckons arch-nemesis Liam Williams’ effort to talk him into a pre-fight row was a sign of weakness

CHRIS EUBANK JR reckons Liam Williams’ effort to talk him into a pre-fight row was a sign of weakness.

At Thursday’s final press conference, ahead of their Saturday Cardiff showdown, Williams whispered insults at his enemy until promoter Kalle Sauerland pulled Eubank Jr, 32, away.

But the Brighton son of British ring legend Chris Sr reckons the Welshman is all-talk-and-no-action.

He said: “It was easy to keep my cool because it was a sign of weakness. He was all bark and no bite, again. That’s the second press conference he has done it at.

“He tried to give a little bit when we were taking photos but I didn’t listen and just told him he looked weak.

“As we get closer to the fight he will get more emotional and he will be feeling a lot worse on the night.”

Eubank will walk into a hostile crowd that will have watched the Ireland vs Wales Six Nations clash on TV and downed plenty of booze to loosen up their proud and loud Welsh voices.

But he insists he will keep an ice-cool head walking into the Dragon’s den and feeling the heat.

“Location makes no difference,” he said. “It won’t affect my tactics or the outcome.

“It might help him a little bit - if he needs it - but for me it is business. I dont care about boos or cheers, it doesn't affect me.

“We have the styles to make an epic fight and I will prove my haters and doubters wrong, as usual.

“People have not believed in me from day one and I enjoy that, it makes the task more exciting and enjoyable.”

Williams will have just enough time to catch the rugby in his hotel room, before making his way to the arena and he reckons a violent Wales win spurred on by the anthem will help him get in the mood.

He said: “I can’t see me leaving the room until the game finishes.

“I will be fired up, I might run across to the arena, punch a few people along the way and give him the finishing touches.

“I don’t like him. I really dislike him actually. I don’t need to use anymore of my energy on him.

“The fight is made, I’ve got to make weight and then fight on Saturday so we will keep our energy, our positive energy and use that on Saturday night.”

When asked if he would rather beat-up or outbox his nemesis, the 31-year-old didn’t need too long to ponder: “Beat him up”, he growled.

“Inflict some pain. It doesn’t really matter to me, as long as I beat him and put him back in his box. Silence him for a little bit.”

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/17538...ss-conference/

**Dark Lord Al** · 02-05-2022 08:17 AM

Williams needs to give a fierce body attack to win this one.

**Master** · 02-05-2022 08:52 PM

The undefeated heavyweight Steve Robinson is dressed like Ivan Drago even though he is from Newcastle taking on Gill and struggling. It would be funny if he loses.