CHRIS Eubank Jnr plans to fight again as soon as April, and again mentioned James DeGale and Billy Joe Saunders in his pursuit of a significant bout.
The 27-year-old, who won the IBO title via a 10th-round stoppage of Australia’s Renold Quinlan in his first fight at super-middleweight on Saturday, was back in the gym yesterday in preparation for what he hopes will be a busy year.
Saturday’s fight at London’s Olympia was also the first on the new ITV Box Office platform, giving him the potential to build a momentum that never existed amid uncomfortable promotional relationships with Matchroom and Frank Warren, as well as the financial draw required to make such match-ups.
“We want to be back out as early as April,” said his father, Chris Eubank Snr. “If we can make this fight with James DeGale, that we shall do. By April we will be ready to go again. If he’s not ready, we’ll wait. We will give him a few more weeks but there is no escape.
“I sent out a message to Badou Jack and James DeGale and asked them to choose which one of them would want to fight Junior once he wins his world championship. They haven’t actually got back to me and so we are choosing James DeGale. We’re calling you out. It’s not easy to avoid. When you’re a fighter you are compelled to fight when you are being called out.”
Of DeGale, Eubank Jnr added: “I’ve said it from day one – I sparred with the guy many years ago back before I was a pro and I dealt with him. It’s a fight the public want to see and now we have the platform. Let’s do it.”
Eubank has long spoken of his desire for a rematch with Billy Joe Saunders, who narrowly outpointed him in 2014, and reiterated: “Saunders needs to fight and we all want that fight, me more than anybody.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here