A Closer Look at Chris Eubank, JR
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
The connection between the early nineties and now could not be more obvious than the father and son duo that are The Eubank’s. Like boxing’s equivalent of the Osbornes (they have done a reality TV show…) they have given the world a strange and fascinating group of people who seem to live a life that has little connection with reality except for one thing; they are highly successful at what they do, in fact they are world beaters.
Whilst Chris Eubank, SR. is hardly Ozzy Osborne and Chris Eubank, JR., 26-2, 20 KO’s, is hardly Jack or Kelly they have paraded a form of soap opera across our screens for years. come the February deadline, Junior enters a ring with George Groves, 27-3, 20 KO’s, to show the world that he is as good as his father was, if not even better.
It has been a tremendous journey to get there for the younger Eubank.
A consummate performer according to his opponents, a consummate professional according to his trainer and a consummate fighter clearly to all, he has come from the loins of a world champion but he needed to earn his own stripes, he needed to get into a rhythm and win his own plaudits and he has done so.
Eubank was shipped out at 16 to America, similar to what happened with his father, though for reasons, allegedly, of achieving dual citizenship rather than to sort himself out. Whilst in the States he had over 20 amateur fights, losing just 2 of them. He managed to win some decent baubles in Nevada before, in 2011 he went professional.
If there was a word that could be used for either father or son it would be unconventional. As his father had before him, Junior was to prove that he had a peculiar way of looking at things; often, according to his detractors, through his father’s eyes.
It’s a criticism that Junior seems to regard as journalistic laziness and his father seems to often think of as a compliment.
I told you they were unconventional.
This has seen them become difficult to deal with, make new style requests regarding image rights and demand the people they want to commentate on his fights with broadcasters.
We can reflect a little on these stories now but as Eubank was amassing an impressive record as a professional, he was keeping a low profile to all except one person. Mr Billy Joe Saunders, 26-0, 12 KO’s. Eubank started a verbal joust – not hard with Billy Joe – that led to a fight between them in 2014 which became a WBO eliminator.
In that fight, Eubank, JR. started poorly and never recovered from such a poor start. By round 6 he already needed a knockout and that was never going to come. Losing the fight, albeit by split decision, was a bitter blow for a man whose ego was becoming as much of a story as his punch power.
We then had some treats in store as Junior got very serious about his career. We saw his stock grow and his abilities rise. The punch power strengthened, and his work rate got even greater. His speed was never in question, but it became unbelievably impressive. He dispensed with Dmitry Chudinov for the interim WBA middleweight belt – of which he was later stripped due to inactivity, and then demanded a Saunders rematch; allegedly he was given a contract and misplaced his pen though it was said to be worth £1 Million.
He retired Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan after 7 rounds with a perforated ear drum then left Nick Blackwell in a coma following their British title fight. He then announced he wanted to continue at British title level and defended his title before then calling out Gennady Golovkin; the contract was allegedly offered – Golovkin suggested he was still searching for his lost pen – though Eubank says he never saw the contract that was allegedly worth £6 Million.
Despite being in the top 5 for the WBC and WBA a middleweight division he went up to super middleweight. There he took Peter Quinlan’s less fancied IBO championship belt before then defending it against the veteran Arthur Abraham. Both fights showed a new fighter, mature and likely to make waves at his new weight. It earned him, and his world title belt, an invitation into the Muhammad Ali trophy and the World Boxing Super Series.
It means we know that he is an elite fighter because he is now firmly in the semi finals of the competition and in the semi finals he is due to meet George Groves next.
Of course, the ending of any story about Junior cannot be faithfully finished without mention of Senior.
It is one of the many reasons as to why people struggle with them as a unit, family and team is what they tend to say about other people. It may be genuine and heartfelt but it does ruffle feathers. Of the next fight for Junior, Senior has suggested in the British press that George Groves needs to be protected from Chris Eubank, JR. – after what he did to Nick Blackwell with Eubank, SR. calling on the referee on the night to shield the defending champ.
If there was ever an understandable reason as to why some people would like to see Junior lose, there is one of them. I am still a Groves supporter but I do think Junior may just have too much for him. them. Like most people in the UK, I start the week sure it shall go one way and end it filled with doubts. It’s a fight that will settle a lot of people’s views over the legacies that the Eubanks are laying claim to.
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