FightPost Boxer of the Week: Chris Eubank Jr

FightPost Boxer of the Week: Chris Eubank Jr

By Gary Kittilsen

In a make or break fight for both fighters, Chris Eubank Jr handed in perhaps the most outstanding performance of his career. Capturing a unanimous decision over former world champion James “Chunky” Degale and captured both the IBO super middleweight title for a second time as well as capturing our ‘Boxer of the Week’.

In a week that featured major cards in both the UK and the US, Eubank Jr’s performance stands alone as the weeks best performance. Eubank Jr has been on a mission to rebuild his career after suffering a lopsided decision loss to George Grove in the second round of the WBSS a year ago. He took a major step forward in doing that on Saturday night at the O2 Arena.

The two British super middleweights exchanged plenty of harsh words in the build-up to this fight and it was Eubank who was able to back it up and at just 29-years-old he has rejuvenated his career. Eubank earned the decision by taking the fight to the former champ and dropping him twice, first in the second round with a stinging left hook and dropped DeGale again in the 10th with another left hook from close-range.

He was also able to bully DeGale around the ring and outmuscle his opponent in the inside for most of the 12-rounds. In a fight that seemed to lack flow, DeGale never really got into a rhythm as Eubank was able to get past his jab and walk him down. The former champ boxed tentatively and was forced into holding onto Eubank as he was unable to maintain distance for much of the fight. DeGale was never able to pose a serious threat and was unable to overcome the two knockdowns as all three judges saw that fight in favour of Eubank by scores of 114-112 115-112 117-109.

Eubank Jr landed the biggest win of his career and finally has a world-class name, James DeGale, on his resume. Combining this win with his name appeal and drawing power Eubank Jr has worked himself back into the picture and is in position to get a lucrative title shot against any of the world champions at 168-pounds.

Following the fight, the new IBO champ said:

“Now I’m going for all the other belts in the super-middleweight division. I knew he was going to use his boxing ability. I was working on my jab. He’s a very slick southpaw. The game plan worked, smart pressure. I didn’t get too much ahead of myself. I dominated pretty much every single every round. I believe I proved the doubters wrong tonight. They said I was going to get my head jabbed off. It was the most important fight of my career. He didn’t quit, man enough to stay in the ring”