Chris Eubank Jr has stoked up a footballing rivalry to compare it to his upcoming fight against Liam Smith.
The pair will take centre stage in Manchester next week in a domestic clash that heads up an intriguing box office card. When all’s said and done, one man will leave the ring in a much better position than the other in terms of their world title dreams.
As the hype grows for the first bell, Eubank has taken out a bit of space to welcome proud Liverpudlian, Smith.
On a billboard – the second largest digital advertising display in Europe – a stone’s throw from Old Trafford, Eubank poses beside the following quote:
“It won’t be the first time that Liverpool have come to Manchester and taken a beating.”
.@ChrisEubankJr is taunting @LiamBeefySmith with this billboard posted today outside Old Trafford 😂#EubankJrSmith
💪 Grab a free pass to test drive your local Village Gym: https://t.co/aGsxedsHkmpic.twitter.com/4yLeyZllqx
— Boxing Social (@boxing_social) January 14, 2023
Liverpool’s last Premier League outing against Manchester United was a 2-1 loss in 2022. Regardless of form dips and challengers from other teams, it remains one of the highest profile footballing rivalries in the UK.
It’s the latest in a series of mind games that, for his part, Smith has shrugged off – although Eubank is convinced he’s getting under the skin of the former super welterweight champion.
After back and forths concerning youthful looks, cooking, poker games, and billboards, it’s not long until all the talking is done. The pair face of on January 21 in Manchester and, despite the confidence on each side, most fans have it as a close contest.
Should Eubank lose, he has the option to activate a rematch clause which would, interestingly, perhaps end up at Anfield. It’s not hard to imagine, then, Smith returning the favour later in the year with a billboard of his own.