Former British middleweight champ Chris Eubank Junior did as was widely, even universally expected last night, and defeated little-known Australian Renold Quinlan in London. In stopping the tougher than expected visitor, Eubank picked up the IBO super-middleweight strap. Now a “world” champion, the outspoken Brighton man wasted no time in calling out the big guns of the 160 and 168 divisions (he left out light-heavyweight ruler Andre Ward on this occasion of name calling).
Eubank, who says he “has the platform” (ITV, who made the bold, some say crazy decision to put last night’s card out as their first Pay-per-View offering) and the title, to get the big, big fights, called out three fighters: Gennady Golovkin, James DeGale and Billy Joe Saunders (who of course defeated Eubank via 12 round decision when they fought in 2014).
“His skull was very hard – it was like hitting concrete,” Eubank told ITV when speaking about Quinlan, who he TKO’d in the 10th. “Now I am a world champion, I have my ticket to challenge the rest of the super-middleweights. I’m coming for everybody, DeGale, I want the rest of those teeth. I want Golovkin, Saunders. We have the platform, let’s get these fights going.”
Eubank, who said he is comfortable at either 160 or 168, badly needs a major fight, a “real” fight as the critics might put it, next. The fans who did fork out £12.95 to see last night’s card (which was plagued with teething problems, with nothing but a blue screen on display for quite some time; this prompting many complaints) may not come back for another Quinlan-type opponent – no matter how big Eubank thinks his last name is and the star power he feels it carries.
But can fights with either of GGG, DeGale or, in a rematch, Saunders be made? Will the Eubanks be more flexible at the negotiating table? It will also be interesting to see just how many buys last night’s card pulled in. Certainly, if the show had been available on regular, “free” TV, a couple of million fans at least would have tuned in.
