Eubank can take heat in Turkish cauldron
CHRIS EUBANK JNR faces hostile opposition as he defends his IBO world super-middleweight belt in Stuttgart tonight. As if Turkish tearaway Avni Yildirim is not enough of a handful in the ring, he will be roared on against Eubank by a frenzied throng of his fanatical countrymen. This city is home to no fewer than 20,000 Turks and those with tickets are expected to form a raucous majority in the 15,500-capacity Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle. They will be whipped into a fervour by Yildirim’s manager-trainer Ahmet Oner, who marred this week’s build-up events with foul-mouthed threats to Eubank and his father, as well as vowing to ravish the wife of one of Eubank’s team. It might be advisable for Chris Jnr to deliver on his promise of a knockout victory. This will be an intimidating atmosphere in which to leave it to the judges to give a decision against Yildirim in a fight that also serves as a quarter-final in the World Super Series tournament. Victory would give Eubank a semi-final against George Groves or Jamie Cox, who fight next weekend. Groves has backed Yildirim to win, but Eubank’s high punch-rate should see him triumph on points.