The official weights are in for tomorrow night’s bitter grudge match between British middleweights Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith. Both men tipped in at 159 pounds on the nose, and both guys have clearly put the work in in the gym.
There were some suggestions from the media and pundits in attendance that Eubank, 33, was a little gaunt looking, while others felt Eubank is simply ripped and ready to go.
Smith, also 33 and a former WBO champ at 154 pounds, was not as toned or ripped, yet he, too, looked ready. We should get a good fight tomorrow, a tough fight, a testing fight. Johnny Nelson, working, of course, for Sky Sports, said he feels Smith-Eubank will be an “aging fight,” with both men set to be pushed and thus having to dig deep. Plenty of fans and experts do see a distance fight here, with not too many people expecting to see a KO or stoppage from either side.
Undercard weights:
Richard Riakporhe 199.25 vs. Krzysztof Glowacki 197.25
Joseph Parker 245.25 vs. Jack Massey 213.25
Ekow Essuman 146 vs. Chris Kongo 146.25
Frazer Clarke 272 vs. Kevin Espindola 285
That said, Eubank said today – after an intense, not to mention too long face-off – that he is looking to go out there and win in “devastating fashion.” Can Eubank get the stoppage win he wants, though?
As Smith pointed out at yesterday’s controversial final press conference, it’s been some time since the 32-2(23) Eubank knocked anybody out. You have to go back to October of 2021 and his corner retirement win over Wanik Awdijan to find Eubank’s last stoppage win (although, to be fair, Eubank has only fought one time since then).
Is Smith perhaps the puncher in this fight? Currently, 32-3-1(19), Smith has won his last three fights by stoppage, with his April 2022 stoppage win over Jessie Vargas being quite impressive. In terms of stoppage defeats against them, Eubank has never been stopped, while Smith was stopped by Canelo Alvarez, down at 154, back in 2016. Again, a distance fight does look to be a good bet for tomorrow.
Eubank weighed in today whilst wearing a rainbow armband in response to the questions he was asked by Smith regarding his sexual orientation. Both guys may be brought to task for their ‘homophobic’ jibes at the presser, and the folks at Sky Sports were no doubt hoping there would be no such war of words taking place today. The two fighters did exchange words as they went head-to-head, yet there was no pushing or shoving, and no nasty words were heard.
It’s fight time now. The silliness will soon be forgotten.
Pick: Eubank to win by close points decision.
