EDITOR’S LETTER
The marmite of boxing, Chris Eubank Jnr, is proving everyone wrong
The Eubank masterplan
CHRIS EUBANK JNR could make an audacious leap to heavyweight, iron out Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, and many would criticise. “Wait until he fights Godzilla, then we’ll see,” the naysayers might say.
Whether critics care to admit it or not, the 28-yearold exceeded all expectation when he flattened Avni Yildirim last weekend.
“Yildirim is rubbish, against Groves it will be different,” was a popular opinion on social media.
Indeed, we must wait until he fights Groves to see how he fares against Groves. But that’s one for the future. For now, Eubank Jnr should be congratulated for the best performance of a career that for so long threatened to be one false start after another. It wasn’t just the destructive finish, it was the whole expedition into hostile territory, the calm head and the manner in which he did his country proud. Still people grumble.
It’s easy to see why his at times cocksure exterior bothers so many because such extraordinary levels of self-confidence always do. It’s also easy to now say Yildirim was overrated all along, and that his approach to battle, headdown, plundering forward, was disastrous. But everyone who predicted a hard fight for Eubank – from fans to media to rival fighters – knew full well Yildirim was not elusive and would get hit. What no one expected, bar Team Eubank, was the incredible effect those punches would have.
Many suspected he was kidding himself at super-middleweight, that his father was talking hogwash when he said Junior was hitting harder than ever. Plenty presumed Ronnie Davies, a veteran of more than 50 years in the game, was exaggerating when he sang his charge’s praises. The same Davies, by the way, who three years ago told Boxing News that Junior could go on to be one of the best super-middleweights this country has ever seen. He’s not there, not even close, but the prophecy doesn’t sound nearly as ridiculous anymore.
Only 13 months ago this magazine printed a front page with an image of Eubank Jnr accompanied by the headline, ‘Rudderless’. And it really did seem like a directionless mission for a while. But here we are, little over a year later, and Eubank Jnr is arguably the second biggest star in British boxing. And as the critics continue to narrow the goalposts, the Hove man keeps hitting the target.
The masterplan Team Eubank have been banging on about for years – as they resisted the lure of rival promoters in order to create their own path – is in position, at last. Of course, just because it’s in position doesn’t mean it will succeed.
Crucially, though, we should no longer doubt the faith Junior has in himself, or the belief from the team around him. It’s almost as if they knew what they were doing all along. CREDIT too to Sam Sexton – alongside his underrated trainer Graham Everett – for lifting the British heavyweight title at the third time of asking. Sexton’s comments afterwards about his six-year-old daughter believing she didn’t have a ‘real dad’ because he spent so much time training said it all.
OUR thoughts are with Gary Murray, his family and his opponent Paddy Gallagher. Murray is the latest fighter to personify the dangers of our sport. In hospital after a bruising encounter, we wish him a rapid recovery.
LIKEWISE former world welterweight champion, Lloyd Honeyghan who is in hospital recovering from a heart attack. Get well soon, “Raggamuffin.”
THIS week we pay tribute to Terry Downes, one of Britain’s most popular fighters. I wasn’t lucky enough to spend any time with the former world king, but given the wonderful stories told in this week’s issue, I really wish I had.
THREE YEARS AGO DAVIES SAID EUBANK JNR WOULD BE A GREAT SUPER-MIDDLE