Club celebrating black belt awards

CHRIS Eubank Jnr has revealed he knew nothing more than Renold Quinlan’s name when he was presented with the chance to fight him for his IBO super-middleweight title.

He is scheduled to challenge the little-known Australian on February 4 in London to launch ITV’s Box Office platform in a fight that has been criticised for Quinlan’s profile, its pay-per-view nature and the fact his belt is not universally recognised as a true world title.

The 27-year-old, however, has again defended its legitimacy as he bids to follow in his father’s footsteps as a world super-middleweight champion.

Eubank Jnr said: “I’d heard the name but I’d never seen him fight. I’d heard the name because he knocked out Daniel Geale and it was going around, but I’d never seen him fight.

“It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, it’s the title. Once I’ve got that then it’s open season on anyone with a world title in the middleweight and super-middleweight division.” ■■Negotiations will resume for a fight between Billy Joe Saunders and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez after the Mexican was installed as the mandatory challenger for Saunders’ WBO middleweight title.

The 27-year-old Saunders will also, according to his promoter Frank Warren, appoint a new trainer to succeed Jimmy Tibbs in the coming days.

Alvarez was this week declared Saunders’ mandatory challenger and despite the champion disappointing in his recent points victory over Artur Akavov, it would be his and Warren’s preference to immediately pursue the Mexican for a fight in the US in May. ■■Amir Khan has revealed plans to launch a mixed martial arts league in Britain.

The Super Fight League is scheduled to be unveiled in 2017, and will involve a competition with eight teams from different areas of Britain.

“MMA is big and getting bigger,” said Khan. “Fighters like Conor McGregor are making a lot of noise. MMA is hitting some high numbers on pay per view. I am always going to be involved in boxing but to have my foot in the door.”