Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith promises fireworks but my mind’s been made up since day one | Boxing | Sport

Stylistically it’s a fantastic fight and I struggle to see a way it ends up being anything else. If Eubank Jr dominates with his hand speed and blistering combinations, then it will be a joy to watch, as it often is.

Meanwhile, if Smith can overcome Eubank Jr with his clever pressure fighting and high work rate then it will also be a spectacle in itself. But I suspect a little bit of both will happen and, in the end, it will all come down to those final few rounds.

It’s a hard one to call. However, I picked my winner on the day it got announced and my mind hasn’t changed since. For me, Smith gets the job done but I could also easily give you multiple reasons Eubank Jr, can and should win.

Eubank Jr has very fast hands and throws punches in bunches but that is all on his own terms. He never throws when he doesn’t have to and that’s why he rests between combinations. We saw that in his last fight against Liam Williams where he let his man off the hook despite having him badly hurt on more than one occasion.

Smith will have to battle through a frustrating early period, but those final four rounds will be where the fight is won and lost, and I expect him to push through. Both men are extremely tough, and the climax will no doubt produce fireworks.

Eubank Jr doesn’t get enough credit for his grit. Although he isn’t among the best in almost any quarter, he is one of the toughest and when it boils down to it he will stand and trade. Physically he can hold his own but I’m not sure whether there will be enough left in the tank down the home straight to secure the victory.