Chris Eubank Jr has activated his rematch clause to set up a second fight with Liam Smith.
The 33-year-old went into last month’s bout against Liverpudlian Smith as the slight favourite, and with an eye on a world title shot later in the year after regularly calling out Gennady Golovkin.
However, those ambitions were abruptly halted by Smith, a former world champion himself. He knocked Eubank down twice in the fourth round before the referee waved it off, as his opponent suffered the first stoppage defeat of his career.
There was talk in the aftermath of that fight that Eubank and his team were considering an appeal, believing he was caught by an elbow from Smith leading up to the first knockdown.
The focus now though is on the rematch, after Eubank confirmed on social media he had triggered the clause available to him.
This morning I activated the rematch clause via my lawyers & sent to my promoters @Wasserman Happy Valentines Day @LiamBeefySmith 😎 pic.twitter.com/PfWNyaTGXL
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) February 14, 2023
He posted: “This morning I activated the rematch clause via my lawyers & sent to my promoters Wasserman.
“Happy Valentines Day Liam Smith.”
Smith responded with by tweeting a picture of Eubank on the canvas after being knocked down in the first fight.
The bout is likely to take place early in the summer, with promoter Ben Shalom suggesting that he would look to stage it at Anfield once the football season has finished.
Happy Valentine’s Day. See you soon 😘 pic.twitter.com/AtXP3VGYxn
— Liam Smith (@LiamBeefySmith) February 14, 2023
The defeat in Manchester was Eubank’s first return to the ring since his bout was Conor Benn was called off during fight week, after it emerged that Benn had failed two drugs tests.
That fight was set for a catchweight of 157lbs, with Chris Eubank Sr among those to raise concerns that his his son’s health was being put at risk by the cut in weight required.
Some have suggested that Eubank, who went straight back into camp, was still feeling the effects of that cut last month, but Smith has dismissed that.
“As much as it might be a shock for people to see Chris sitting on his backside like that, just take it on the chin,” Smith told Sky Sports.
“People are forgetting I fought him at 160lbs. He came in at 159lbs. If he’s struggling that bad, come in at 160lbs. A pound is a lot when you’re tight at the weight.
“A pound is an awful lot. You’re not stupid. Why give away an extra pound? I fought him at his weight. I didn’t drag him to no catchweight. I fought Chris at Chris’ natural best weight, 160lbs.
“Keep hitting me with the comments, but let me tell you this - I’ll do the exact same in the rematch.”
