There has been no official announcement as to want Chris Eubank Jr will do next in regards to his boxing career. Eubank suffered the 2nd defeat at the hands of George Groves in February in their World Boxing Super Series Semi-Final in Manchester. At only 28 with a record 26-2 Eubank should be at or approaching his peak years, but he is at a critical point in his career. Twice when stepping up to the elite opposition he has been beaten, some would say exposed, would a 3rd defeat spell the end for Eubank, I would say probably.
The much-maligned association with his father, despite its criticism, has got him this far, the exposure has done him no harm, even though the hype around him may have done. Comparisons with the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard look absurd now, sometimes when you get the exposure you get exposed. But that association now needs to end, it’s been said many times but Eubank needs to make the adjustments needed, and his father frankly needs to let go. Eubank needs to hire a new trainer and let him be the man in charge, Eubank being in charge of what he does in training needs to change, the Groves fight proves he needs more schooling, some honest assessment from Team Eubank needs to happen, especially from the fighter himself.
Eubank still believes he won the Groves fight, he plainly didn’t, but Eubank thinking he did win is a big worry, even his dad thought he lost. That tells me there is still that arrogance about his ability is still there, it’s why I don’t think much will change. Eubank has proved he can fight, but he hasn’t proved he can box, certainly at the level he wants to box at. I have no doubt that Eubank will be manoeuvred into another high profile fight, but unless he changes things drastically, it will end in another defeat.
Even though I tipped Eubank to beat Groves, I did say he would be better suited as a middleweight, the Groves fight proved it, he is too small for super-middle, anybody with any unbiased view must know that.
I am not one of those people who is writing Eubank off, there is still time, but I am not convinced he is or will be honest with himself, practically everybody is saying the same thing, changes need to happen, they all can’t be wrong, a serious dose of self-reflection is needed. I think Eubank is a good fighter, not as good as Eubank thinks he is himself, but good nonetheless, he is certainly capable of winning a genuine world title.
But whatever move Eubank makes next, it needs to be the right one.
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