Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr 02/09/2023 Preview: Beefy determined to prove first win was no ‘miracle’
The biggest story in boxing over the past week has been the backlash from Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Daniel Dubois.
The Ukrainian overcame a controversial low blow as he defended his heavyweight crown against the British contender.
This weekend, the boxing circus moves on to a much-anticipated rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr.
There was certainly nothing controversial about Smith’s victory back in January as he sensationally knocked out his rival in the fourth round.
Eubank has since gone on to describe his third career defeat as a ‘miracle’ and has vowed to set the record straight this Saturday night.
That may be far easier said than done considering the growing amount of momentum which is being experienced in Smith’s camp.
The 35-year-old put on a sterling display in his unanimous decision loss to Magomed Kurbanov back in May 2021.
Since then, Beefy has been on a four-fight knockout streak, taking out Anthony Fowler, Jessie Vargas, Hassan Mwakinyo and, of course, Eubank.
While one camp is revelling, the other is facing a wall of scrutiny and pressure.
Eubank Jr has been questioned not only by fans and pundits but also by his own father.
Away from accusations of Eubank being a ‘charlatan’ there are also questions about his ability to perform under pressure.
The Brit suffered his first professional defeat in 2014 as Billy Joe Saunders picked up a split decision to claim the British, Commonwealth and European middleweight titles.
His second loss came in a high-stakes encounter with Geroge Groves as ‘Saint George’ picked up a unanimous decision back in 2018.
Eubank Jr is in desperate need of a victory against Smith in Manchester, though considering all the momentum is with the Liverpool-native, we’re backing repeat over revenge.
Smith to get the job done early is the way to go in the betting, with Beefy to get the stoppage in the second half of the fight.
