Chris Eubank Jr. shoved claims he couldn’t box down a lot of people’s throats as the Brighton man dominated and stopped Liam Smith.
Despite being taken out in their first meeting, Eubank knuckled down in training and proved his credentials as a possible world title challenger of the future.
Starting early with tactics employed by new trainer Brian McIntyre, Eubank looked superb from the off. Smith, for his troubles, could never get going.
The fight began very cagily, with both men grappling each other in long clinches across the first two rounds while a few punches were thrown.
Eubank started to gain traction in the third by finding his range perfectly, landing shots on Smith without allowing him to land any in return.
Chris Eubank Jr. dominates Liam Smith
Eubank took control of the fight from the early rounds after he landed a ferocious uppercut to the chin of Smith. The blow sent the dangerous Liverpudlian collapsing to the canvas.
The Brighton man came close to ending the fight in the fourth and fifth rounds, launching volleys of lefts and rights. The onslaught left Smith reeling in both rounds, but that didn’t quite force a stoppage.
From that moment on, Eubank stayed disciplined and respectful. However, he outclassed Smith for another six rounds before forcing the referee to end the hammering.
Eubank kept the tempo high until the fight was stopped, not allowing Smith to focus on anything other than survival. A former world champion like Liam Smith would always be hard to finish before the final bell.
He survived another five rounds, but his corner may have been wise to have pulled him out earlier. The pre-fight jibes from Smith’s corner about Eubank throwing in the towel ultimately took that decision away.
Smith was always going out on his shield.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the fight, Eubank remained respectful. He said: “Liam is a warrior. I respect him, his team, his family, and his brothers.
“They always come out and put it all on the line. He fought until the last second, so big up to Liam and his team.”
Reflecting on his out-of-character performance in the first fight, Eubank added: “I’m not going to lie, what happened tonight was supposed to happen in January.
“Like I said, it wasn’t my night. I trained hard for that fight. I trained hard for this fight. The focus is always there.
“I dedicate my life to this sport. Now we’re onto bigger and better fights. There are some big names out there.”
