Chris Eubank Jr.'s Explosive Comeback!

Chris Eubank Jr. has successfully shocked the world. No one saw the spectacular finish coming. The arena in Manchester was livid when they saw Liam Smith go down not once, not twice, but three times on the night. It was every pure boxing fans' dream come true when Eubank looked into the camera after knocking Liam Smith silly. The end of the story between Eubank and Smith has not been reached yet, but it's important to remember how important of a rivalry this is, and how important it is to watch fights and preparation back. In the first fight, Eubank went down to an illegal elbow and received one of the most embarrassing losses of his life. He also had Roy Jones Jr. in his corner, who many believed hurt his chances against Smith. In this second fight between the two middleweights, Eubank triumphantly returned to the good graces of British boxing by knocking out his biggest obstacle, aside from Conor Benn. Eubank would not have been able to rise to the occasion if it were not for Smith consistently applying pressure in public. Threatening Eubank's reputation is obviously a mental tactic, but Eubank did not let it deter him. Instead, he proved to the world that he is more than capable of outclassing and competing with the elite between 147 and 168. I'd like to touch bases with you all on how much Eubank has changed between the first fight between himself and Smith, and now. The broadcast team exclaimed a multitude of times when the topic of Eubank's preparation and boxing ability was highlighted. They couldn't believe how drastically different Eubank's defensive and offensive prowess appeared to be. I was not shocked, due mostly in part to Eubank's switch from the legendary 4 division world champion Roy Jones Jr., to Brian "BoMac" McIntyre. With Jones' help, Eubank was more prone to pop-shotting, which can be good in a variety of situations but terrible against someone with high output such as Liam Smith. This is what gave Smith the advantage in the first fight. Smith was aware of Eubank's lack of activity, and his tendency to admire his jab after throwing and landing it. With BoMac, Chris' footwork was taken to the next level. Throwing the one-two and taking an angle to the left or right is a BoMac classic, and Chris flashed this move multiple times. The rear uppercuts and body shots off of the angle change were particularly beautiful to watch, heavily reminiscent of Vasiliy Lomachenko's work off the center line. The risks associated with Eubank's jab were largely mitigated due to his activity, Smith couldn't counter because he didn't have the ability to do so. Footwork, hand speed, and activity stripped Liam Smith of his best weapons and it showed. Smith's corner kept trying to give him instructions, but he couldn't effectively act on them. It was surprising because the Smith brothers are generally believed to be some of the most coachable men in boxing. Their cornermen are structured very well, but this time around they couldn't get Liam to follow their directions. Smith and his team were honest about their performance, which definitely gave the impression that they are willing to take accountability for why they lost. The real question that needs to be answered for Smith and Eubank is: who's next? There are so many names that either man can take on, Eubank in particular fancies a fight against GGG or Conor Benn. Both of those names are appropriate for him, but for Smith, a redeeming performance against Eubank would be best. Some names at 154 could keep him busy, such as the current IBO super welterweight champion James Metcalf. Metcalf just came off of a unanimous decision win over Dennis Hogan in a classic Britain vs. Ireland affair. If Smith is willing to cut the weight, he could have a potential title shot on his plate. Other than a return to 154, remaining at 160 could present names such as Shane Mosely Jr., or Denzel Bentley. Either way, Liam Smith should consider a quick turnaround.