Chris Eubank Jr. promised not to contest a defeat to Liam Smith this time as the pair prepare for a Manchester rematch on Saturday night.
Smith stopped Eubank Jr in the first minute of the fourth round in their January encounter in the same venue. However, Eubank claimed an elbow did the damage.
As the clock ticks down to the first bell of the second encounter, Eubank’s confidence seems undented when he confronts Smith.
Even now, he was unwilling to acknowledge that Smith, with the first win behind him, was the better fighter of the two. He did state he would accept a loss if it happened again.
Chris Eubank Jr will accept a second defeat
“If he pulls it off again, I can’t argue with it,” said Eubank. “But my performance on Saturday night will be exquisite, super-natural.”
Eubank has referred to Smith’s stoppage win as a “miracle” for the Liverpool man and a feat unlikely to be repeated, a claim which drew derision from Smith.
“Which shot was the miracle, Chris? The miracle was how easy it was!” he said. “If he makes the same mistakes, I’ll punish him for them.”
Eubank does acknowledge he is in this position for the first time – rematching an opponent who’s defeated him. “It is a new pressure that I have never dealt with before. But I’m enjoying it,” he said.
“I’m enjoying the hardship I must go through mentally and physically to execute the game plan on the night.
“I’m excited to go out there and see how I react.”
Marku vs Moran
In an undercard battle, Florian Marku and Dylan Moran had a fiery interaction when they faced off. Marku afterward claimed Moran had trembled during the staredown.
“He was shaking when we were face to face. He tried to hide it. If you see the videos from the cameras, he was shaking his legs,” he said.
“I’m going to hunt him. I know he’s going to try to box and run, but I will be too much for him.”
Moran laughed this off, “Never in my life will I shake in front of you. I am the superior boxer. It’s been a long and tough journey to get here today. I won’t let Florian Marku rob me of that.
“He’s standing in my way. It’s been a lifetime of hard work to be sat here, and I plan on finishing the job Saturday night.”
Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr II is live on Sky Sports Box Office this Saturday.
