Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith rematch date set for September

Chris Eubank Jr has officially announced that he will have a rematch with Liam Smith on September 2. This comes after Smith, 34 years old, dealt Eubank Jr a devastating knockout in the fourth round back in January, shattering his hopes for a title. The rematch was initially scheduled to be the headline event of Boxxer’s show in Manchester in July but had to be postponed due to a minor injury sustained by Smith.

New Date Set for Rematch

Eubank Jr took to social media on Friday to confirm the new date, saying, “Eubank vs Smith 2 at the 02 September 2nd @LiamBeefySmith #LetsDoThis #NoMoreExcuses #Revenge.” Promoter Ben Shalom also provided an update, assuring everyone that Smith is now fully fit and ready for the rescheduled rematch.

“We’ve received great news about Liam Smith’s fitness this week. He’s 100 percent fit for the new date we were looking at,” Shalom revealed in an interview with Sky Sports. “We’ve notified Wasserman that we believe Liam is 100 percent ready.”

Eubank Jr Seeks Revenge

Eubank Jr has been vocal about his desire for a rematch and his intention to avenge his defeat against Smith. He activated the rematch clause for this reason. Speaking about his aspirations, Shalom said, “I believe Chris wants a rematch, I believe he wants to fight Liam Smith. He’s talked about revenge, and that’s why he activated the rematch clause.”

Smith Disputes Eubank Jr’s Claims

On the other hand, Liam Smith has expressed his skepticism regarding Eubank Jr’s claims that the first fight should have continued. Despite Eubank Jr’s remarks, Smith remains confident in his victory and is prepared to face him in the rematch.

Career Opportunities for Smith

Shalom highlighted the significance of this rematch for Liam Smith’s career, emphasizing that it comes at a crucial stage. He stated, “Liam Smith is in a stage of his career now where it would have been so difficult for him to have an injury. He’s getting better and better and can fight for a world title for the second time and become a two-time world champion.”

Shalom also acknowledged that the next 12 months could be career-defining for Smith, with potentially big fights and nights ahead. Apart from the rematch with Eubank Jr, Shalom mentioned the possibility of other significant fights and Smith’s desire to compete for a world title again.

Smith’s Impressive Victory

Smith’s victory over Eubank Jr was not only significant due to the knockout but also because it served as a reminder of his title credentials. Prior to his defeat against Eubank Jr, Smith had held the WBO light-middleweight championship from 2015 to 2016, only losing it to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

The manner in which Smith triumphed over Eubank Jr, despite the latter’s claims of being at only “60 percent,” demonstrated Smith’s continued competitiveness in the later stages of his career.