Be Chris Eubank Jr.
When Chris Eubank Jr made his professional debut in 2011, he looked every bit the superstar outside the ring; with his chiselled physique, strong sense of his own ‘brand’ and the ability to effortlessly promote himself in interviews.
Inside the ring, it was a different matter. The early portion of his career was spent acting as a tribute act to his father; posturing, going for a walk and staring his opponent down from across the ring. It did him no favours.
After his defeat to Billy Joe Saunders, Eubank Jr gave up on performing cover versions and developed his own style of unrelenting hard rock. It was infinitely more effective. Against Dmitry Chudinov, Eubank Jr proved he could fight at the tempo he displayed in the second half of the Saunders fight for 12 rounds.
Having forced the Russian into submission in the final frame, his father draped a Union Jack over his shoulders. Finally, Chris Eubank Jr the fighter looked like a star.
A contract with Eddie Hearn swiftly followed and a fight with Gennady Golovkin was mooted. It is testament to the impact that Eubank Jr made in his two previous bouts that a matchup against the Kazakh destroyer did not appear to be the ridiculous prospect it would have been a year earlier.
Of course, the fight never came to fruition, either due to lost pens/bottle or unsatisfactory contracts, depending on who you believe.
A move to super-middleweight did not particularly suit Eubank Jr. The physical advantages which made his style effective at middleweight were eroded by the eight-pound increase.
A return to the 160lbs division was expected to bring out the best in Eubank Jr, but to date, that has not been the case. For years, fans hoped Eubank Jr would work with a trainer he respected and would listen to. During the pandemic, supporters got their wish; unfortunately, that coach was Roy
Jones Jr.
To fighters of Eubank Jr’s age, Roy Jones Jr is often cited as an inspiration for lacing up the gloves in the first place. However, Jones Jr’s style was dependant on almost superhuman reflexes, making it near impossible to replicate.
Jones himself can attest to that, as during the latter stages of his career, he often produced a poor imitation of himself at the peak of his powers. Once the reactions had dulled, the mind was willing, but the body was not able.
In their two fights working together, Eubank Jr has done his best attempt at emulating the man in his corner; gone is the rock ‘n’ roll, in its stead is a version of fistic free jazz performed by a man without the natural aptitude for it.
If we are to see the best of Eubank Jr, he must resolve this identity crisis. Liam Williams possesses far greater boxing ability than he is given credit for. In a battle of the jabs, Eubank Jr would likely come off second best.
However, if Eubank Jr plays to his strengths of work rate and shot variety, it would be hard to bet against him.
Have A Gameplan.
It is testament to Eubank Jr’s natural ability that he reached his current level in the sport while rarely having a gameplan. Even in victory, it appears as if Eubank Jr is doing whatever he wants, but it is in his two defeats that his lack of tactics becomes truly apparent.
Legend has it that Willie Pep once won a round without throwing a single punch, well Eubank Jr expanded on that concept by not letting his hands go for six frames, while hoping to win the fight against Billy Joe Saunders. Yes, Saunders issues with conditioning were well documented before the bout, but imagine how much more effective Eubank Jr’s tidal wave of offence would have been if he had forced Saunders to work harder during the first half of the fight?
Against George Groves, Eubank again found himself down on the cards at the midway point of the bout. On that occasion, it was not as a result of a reluctance to let his shots go but as a result of Eubank Jr having no answer for the jab of ‘The Saint.’ Similarly to the Saunders bout, Eubank Jr rallied in the closing stages of the contest to make it appear competitive on the scorecards.
Twice Eubank Jr has faced world class fighters in their primes, and twice he has been found wanting.
It is hardly surprising given that Eubank Jr has essentially trained himself for the majority of his career. Ronnie Davies has worked with Eubank Jr, as he did with the fighter’s father, but his advice has often fallen on deaf ears.
Eubank Jr’s talent and dedication are unquestionable, but ability alone will not beat the best in the sport. Hopefully, Eubank Jr has enough respect for Roy Jones Jr to take heed of his instructions.
Don’t Underestimate Williams.
Liam represents a category of fighter that Eubank Jr is yet to face: a fringe world level boxer in the prime of their career. Eubank Jr has beaten fighters who have achieved more, such as: James DeGale, Arthur Abraham and Matvey Korobov, but those victories flatter to deceive somewhat.
The aforementioned trio each were all past their best by the time they shared the ring with Eubank Jr.
It is almost certain that Eubank Jr is adamant that he is, at least, one level above Williams, and while that may prove to be the case, Eubank Jr should be prepared to face a physically strong fighter with underrated boxing ability.
In his first fight against Liam Smith, Williams demonstrated how well he can box, as he was up on all three scorecards when a cut forced him to retire in the ninth round. On the eye-test, some may say that Eubank Jr better fighter than Smith, but only one has won a legitimate world title, and it is not the man from Brighton.
Last April, Williams demonstrated his resilience when he found himself outclassed by Demetrius Andrade early in their bout. Williams climbed off the canvas in the second round but continued to press his opponent until the final bell. Expect similar displays of determination tonight if he has to
endure any arduous moments.
With Adam Booth now in Williams’ corner, the Welshman will have a solid gameplan, that allied with his technical ability and reasonable power will make for a formidable combination.
If Eubank Jr believes he will be able to do as he wishes tonight, he may come unstuck.