Chris Eubank Jr. put on a dominant display when dropping Liam Williams four times on his way to a convincingly one-side triumph in Cardiff.
Years of rivalry and a river of bad blood carried Eubank Jr and Williams into this grudge match in Cardiff. But in the end, favor flowed almost entirely one way once the fight got started.
Eubank managed to knock Williams down an astonishing four times during the fight. A statistic made all the more remarkable given that Williams is notoriously a gritty operator despite being put down easily.
Even more surprisingly, three of the knockdowns came in the first four rounds. Williams was still fresh, and the volume of traded blows a mere fraction of what they would be by the time the final bell sounded.
The secret was Eubank’s left hand. A stiff jab – almost a lead cross. It put Williams down in the first round, dropping him when he came surging forwards looking to put pressure on.
A left hook delivered the same service in the same circumstances in the next round.
Williams was immediately back to his feet both times and immediately back into the fray. But Eubank Jr was in total control of the pace and distance of the fight.
Moving backward and allowing Williams to hold the center, Eubank left his rival’s punches falling short again and again. When Williams would press forward to close the distance, Eubank would have counters waiting for him.
Williams had more success in the third round and carried that momentum into the fourth, only to take yet another stiff left that scored a knockdown.
Despite this setback, he came on strong in the following rounds. He seized the advantage at times as Eubank seemed to tire.
For the next five rounds, Williams had his best successes in the fight. Eubank got on the back foot and threw less than in the preceding rounds.
Going to the body paid dividends for Williams repeatedly, and Eubank looked to have felt more than one of those thudding body blows.
CHRIS EUBANK JR SHOWBOATING
No dismay from Eubank, though; he showboated and gurned his way around the ring, mocking Williams and taunting him while staying frustratingly out of reach.
As one spirited exchange ended round six, Eubank ended with a bit of pat on the behind for Williams, as if congratulating the efforts of a schoolboy.
With Eubank playing defensive in this middle portion of the fight, Williams looked for the knockdowns he needed.
Eubank had a superb uppercut counter waiting for Williams’ more enthusiastic forward ventures. However, he did get caught himself with some solid 1-2 and right-hand efforts.
His successes came undone in the eleventh round, though, as he took another blow – this time a right hand – which put him down for a count.
With the fight now entirely out of Williams’ reach unless he scored a clean knockout, Chris Eubank Jr. spent the final round playing and showboating.
He gave Williams no chance of landing anything solid.
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