Middleweight contender Chris Eubank says IBF champion Gennadiy Golovkin’s team have been in contact regarding a clash in 2022.
Eubank almost signed to fight Golovkin in September 2016 but withdrew at the contract stage, with Kell Brook taking his place and losing in five rounds at the O2 Arena.
Ever since, the Brighton box-fighter has vocally pursued a fight with the celebrated Kazakh puncher and now believes that bout could be inching closer to reality.
The WBA’s No.1 rated fighter at 160lbs, Eubank first hopes to seal a title shot against its ‘Super’ champion Ryota Murata or ‘Regular’ belt holder Erislandy Lara though the Panama-based organisation is in the process of streamlining its list of champions to one in every division after years of confusion and extra sanctioning fees. Eubank himself was recently stripped of his WBA Interim middleweight belt as the sanctioning body dissolved that title to provide greater clarity and credibility.
To further muddy the waters, Golovkin and Murata are also reportedly set to face one another in Saitama, Japan, on December 28. In the meantime, Eubank will face German fringe contender Sven Elbir at the SSE Arena in Wembley on October 2.
“With what’s happened with the Interim titles being taken away, now we’re being made mandatory challengers for the Super belts or the Regular belts, so yeah we’re pushing for those fights now,” Eubank (30-2, 22 KOs) told Sky Sports.
“By the end of the year, I will 100 percent be fighting for a world title and winning one. I want the top dog [Murata]. I want the main belt, the superior belt.
“Murata is the fight that would make the most sense and the one that we’re going to push for.”
Should Golovkin-Murata take place, as expected in December, Eubank would appear to have a clear route to facing the winner next year. The Kazakh’s team fancy that fight, according to Eubank.
“The fight already entices them, they’ve been in contact with us,” continued Eubank. “They’ve shown interest, so if I can get a world title, then that fight is as good as done.
“There’s been interest shown in a future fight. It has to be [inevitable]. He’s a world champion and I am the No 1 contender. I’m the most exciting fighter in the weight division. I’m the fighter that the fans want to see in with these guys, so it has to happen.
“I’ve been visualising it for years and I know how to beat him. I’ve just got to get the opportunity and it’s coming. The styles that me and him have, it can’t be anything short of an epic war. He doesn’t know how to fight going backwards and I don’t know how to stop throwing punches. You put those two styles together and you’re in for a legendary boxing match.”