Promoter Eddie Hearn has been critical of Chris Eubank Jr’s display against Liam Williams last weekend which led to Junior winning on points.
The middleweight bout in Cardiff saw Williams visit the canvas four times, three of which came in the first four rounds. Despite a valiant comeback from the Welshman Eubank ran out a comfortable winner on the scorecards after 12 rounds.
“I thought he was quite poor,” Hearn told Betfred’s Lightweight Boxing Show hosted by Dominic McGuinness and former world lightweight champion Anthony Crolla.
“It was good to get the win, but Liam Williams is a fighter whose punch resistance has sort of left him. He went over and Eubank should have jumped all over him and then it would have been a really impressive performance.
“I don’t know why he didn’t choose to engage for the second half of the fight, and he just let Williams come back and win rounds. But still a good win. No disrespect to Eubank, he’s a very good fighter I just don’t feel he’s a world level middleweight but he’s still going to be in some great fights.”
Felix Cash, promoted by Hearn, and who fights on the Danny Jacobs-John Ryder undercard on Saturday is aiming for a shot at Eubank in the near future.
“I feel that’s a tremendous fight for Chris Eubank Jr,” said Hearn.
“Probably a fight where Eubank Jr will say what can Felix Cash bring me. That’s what you normally say when you don’t want to fight someone. There’s always going to be big fights out there for Eubank because he’s a draw.”
Hearn’s welterweight charge Conor Benn has been vocal this week about speculation linking him to a fight against Eubank Jr. Both their fathers engaged in a memorable rivalry in the 1990s and Conor is willing to take on the challenge of moving up to 154lbs or even 160lbs to face Chris Jr.
“I’d be small for the weight, but I can punch like hell,” Benn said when speaking to the Betfred Lightweight Boxing Show.
“It could happen in the next two years, three years, it could happen next. If it makes money, it makes sense. With my weight I’m on the verge of a world title shot and that’s the priority for my team and my promoter. That’s the end goal. Eubank fight will always be there. I don’t mind mixing it with the big boys.”
Click here to watch the first episode of the Betfred Boxing Lightweight Show in full featuring interviews with John Ryder, Daniel Jacobs, Crolla’s Corner and much more.