RED-HOT ROY: I WON’T GET STUCK IN A RUT AGAIN
Eubank Jnr laughs off sparring partner who predicts defeat in do-or-die clash
CHRIS EUBANK JR has dismissed his sparring partner’s prediction that he will lose to James DeGale tomorrow night.
Eubank Jr flew Denis Douglin 5,000 miles from Las Vegas to help him prepare for the careerdefining clash with his British rival.
He even put him up in his plush Brighton pad along with new trainer Nate Vasquez.
But after returning to Sin City this week, Douglin said he expects Eubank Jr to fall short.
He said: “I was in camp with Eubank for six weeks and he’s tough and definitely in shape but I’m picking DeGale. I just JASON ROY will use his blistering start to the year to bury memories of his Champions Trophy heartbreak.
Roy (right) couldn’t have started the long build-up to the World Cup any better, smashing two hundreds for England in his first two knocks in the Caribbean, helping the side to go 1-0 up in the one-day series.
And he claims to have learnt from his slump in form in 2017 that saw him axed for the Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to Pakistan.
“I’m batting as well as ever,” said think that he is more intelligent in the ring.
“I appreciate everything Chris did. He let me stay in his house and paid me well but it was just a lot of basic stuff that I saw him struggling with and I think DeGale is going to expose that.
“If I was a betting man I’d be putting my money on him.”
Eubank, 29, is the slight favourite with the bookies the 28-year-old fresh from his 123 on Wednesday. “It was important to get off to that kind of start. That must be up there as one of my favourite innings, especially chasing such a big total and at the start of a series.
“At the Champions Trophy I was overworked. I played in the IPL and had a lot of cricket leading up to it.
“I wasn’t able to get myself out of a rut, whereas now I would – and have been able to. Coming back from not many runs in T20, I dusted myself off and got some runs here.
“I’m just keeping it simple, staying despite defeats by Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves.
And he accused Douglin of pulling a publicity stunt.
He said: “That surprises me after what he said to everyone as relaxed as possible, making sure I am organised. I have got off to starts like that before and maybe not made the most of it.”
England’s coaching set-up through to the World Cup has been finalised with occasional fielding coach Paul Collingwood confirmed as one of the assistant coaches alongside Chris Silverwood and Graham Thorpe.
Managing director Ashley Giles will be looking for just one head coach to replace Trevor Bayliss when he leaves in September, with three assistant coaches in support. So far else. I have not seen the comments but the spars went very well, it was a successful training camp.
“I do not feel I was falling for his traps, they were competitive spars, that is why I brought him over.
“Maybe he is trying to get some publicity because he has previously said the complete opposite.”
DeGale, 33, who will retire if he loses for the third time as a professional, added: “When he was over here he was saying, ‘James DeGale is rubbish’ and now he is over there saying that.
“If one of my sparring partners had done that then I would not be happy.” Silverwood has emerged as an early contender for the top job, with South Africa head coach Ottis Gibson, Pakistan boss Mickey Arthur and Sussex’s Australia legend Jason Gillespie all in the frame.
The ECB have also announced the playing conditions for ‘The Hundred’ have been voted through with two-and-a-half-minute time-outs part of the game, along with five-ball overs, and a maximum of 20 balls per bowler.
SECOND ODI, WEST INDIES v ENGLAND KENSINGTON OVAL, BRIDGETOWN, 3PM