Following two postponements, Liam Smith’s rematch with fellow Brit Chris Eubank Jr is finally on for September 2 at the AO Arena in Manchester, and Johnny Nelson has advised Jr to “let the shots go.”
The long-reigning world cruiserweight champion turned Sky Sports pundit was in attendance for the first bout in which Smith upset the odds by stopping Eubank in the fourth round – his first defeat inside the distance.
Nelson spoke to Seconds Out about the rematch and advised Eubank on how to approach it in an attempt to avenge the loss.
“[Jr] is stuck in between a style that he’s trying to adopt and his own personal style. And I think now, the only difference he could make, he’s not going to become a real clever technical fighter overnight to devise a boxing plan, and I mean a technical plan, to overcome Liam Smith, he’s not gonna do that.
He needs to do what he does and do it well. He needs to let the shots go, get in there, and try and fight fire with fire, a six-round plan, get on it, that’s how he’s got to fight.”
Ultimately, though, Nelson is predicting that the fight goes the same way if the same Liam Smith turns up.
“I know he’s had some wise heads taking to him and advising him, David Haye has been advising him, but in reality, I would be very surprised to see if there was any different outcome.
I think it might go longer but I think Liam Smith does it again unless he really thinks it’s really easy and he dismisses Chris.”
It will be a long road back or retirement for whoever loses, while the winner could face any number of big names.