Liam Smith stunned Chris Eubank Jr at the Manchester Arena, stopping the pre-fight favourite in four electric rounds. The former WBO light middleweight champion was expected to struggle against the younger, bigger man but acquitted himself brilliantly with the stoppage.
The opening round saw Eubank establish his jab, using his size advantages and quicker movement to keep Smith at bay. ‘Beefy’ landed a crisp right hand and came into the session more as it went on, with some spirited exchanges closing out the opener.
The second saw Smith expertly close the distance. Clubbing rights along the ropes were the earliest indication that this might not go all Eubank’s way. ‘NextGen’ was keeping his left low, a common stance for the former IBO kingpin. But Smith took greater advantage than most Eubank opponents, scoring with a ramrod straight right.
It looked like this middleweight attraction was reverting to type in the third. Eubank enjoyed his best session, landing several firm jabs before opening up with massive uppercuts. This was the first, and only, time during the evening where Eubank looked like a fighter riding a six-bout winning streak.
That streak was snapped in a jaw-dropping fourth stanza. A huge salvo from Smith in the former left Eubank’s legs looking like a stranger. He could not and would not stand, crumbling to the canvas under a two-handed assault. Eubank rose showing the bravery that runs in his fistically-inclined blood. But Smith is from fine boxing stock too, and it was he that won this clash of the pugilistic clans. Smith got on top of Eubank and sent him to the canvas once more.
Eubank stood, barely. The referee rightfully waved the contest off, despite a lolloping Eubank trying to restart the bout of his own accord. Junior would see the wisdom in that stoppage afterwards, shaking hands with his conqueror.
By all accounts we are due a rematch of this short, sweet shock. Promoter Ben Shalom revealed in the build-up that, should Smith win, Eubank had stipulated a return. But this was not a one-punch turnaround, it was a dominant display. Perhaps the beaten 33-year-old would be better off taking time to recover from the first stoppage defeat of his career.
As for Smith, for so long he has been the bridesmaid rather than the bride. Losses to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Magomed Kurbanov and Jaime Munguia had seen the Liverpudlian take on the look of a gatekeeper. But, like Eubank going in, Smith is on a fine run of form. This is his fourth consecutive victory. At the age of 34, the clock is ticking. Rather than go over old ground with Eubank, ‘Beefy’ might prefer to pursue a second world championship. After this career-defining display, nobody would begrudge him that.
Photos: Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
