Chris Eubank Jr vs Matvey Korobov Preview

Chris Eubank Jr vs Matvey Korobov Preview

By James Hailston

As Anthony Joshua bids to gain revenge this weekend in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr you could be forgiven for forgetting about another Brit, being in action this weekend.

At the Barclays Centre in New York, Chris Eubank Jr returns to the ring for the first time since February against Russian Matvey Korobov.

Like Joshua, Eubank (28-2) divides opinion. Some are aboard the hype train singing his praises whilst others remain on the platform reluctant to agree.

Also like Joshua though, and more importantly, Eubank faces a must win contest this weekend to keep the train going in the desired direction. The way in which Eubank guides it past the diversion he’ll face on Saturday night will go someway to deciding its final destination. One with a world title at the end? Or one with the sign reading ‘could have gone further’?

The said diversion is of course Korobov (28-2-1). And it’s not an easy one. An amateur standout for the Russian national team – he won two World golds and a European gold – he boasts of tools that Eubank has struggled to deal with in the past.

Sound fundamentals, a solid southpaw jab and high boxing IQ have all contributed to handing Eubank the only two previous defeats of his career. And like Eubank it’s a must win fight for Korobov too. If he is to achieve in the pros what he did in the unpaid code and become world champion he surely, at nearly 37, has to win here.

Eubank meanwhile, has experienced both the pros and cons of being the son of a British boxing legend. Whilst he’s enjoyed superior exposure and bigger opportunities to fighters at a similar stage of their career to him, he’s also carried heavier expectations and endured a higher level of scrutiny.

Some are quick to point to his flaws but his record, for a 30 year old with a limited amateur background, makes for solid reading. He holds wins over Spike O’Sullivan, Arthur Abraham, Avni Yildirim and James Degale and his only two losses were against Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves.

If this was a peak Korobov versus a younger, still quite raw Eubank you’d have to make the Russian a decent favourite. However, a near peak Eubank versus a past his best Korobov swings the pendulum the other way. And that is what we are likely to get come Saturday night.

Eubank was once caught between two styles. The over aggressive, pressure fighter who would swing wildly without thought and the calm, slick, shot picker who spent too long admiring his work.

In more recent times though he’s combined the two to remain aggressive and relentless but with more brain behind the brawn and better understanding of when and what to throw. Korobov is the better skilled fighter no doubt. He’s clever and does the basics very well but has already shown signs of deterioration with his engine. He’s also been stopped before (albeit by big puncher Andy Lee).

If this fight remains at distance and Korobov can get into a rhythm it’s going to be hard for Eubank. He could well do so for 6 rounds. But if Korobov slows too much and it becomes a closer, busier fight down the stretch it will be music to Eubanks ears. Whatever happens we should have a new contender for a middleweight title in the mix afterwards.

Like Joshua, Eubank’s name and brand will gain him future opportunities whatever the result Saturday night. But also like AJ if he’s to succeed in the place that matters to him, the place that gave him these opportunities in the first place, victory Saturday is a must.