Chris Eubank Jr wants a fight with Gennady Golovkin next and also called out the likes of Conor Benn and Kell Brook after his rematch win over Liam Smith.
Eubank Jr emphatically rejected any questions over his future in boxing with a tremendous display in Manchester on Saturday night, dominating Smith from the outset and providing two knockdowns en route to a rousing 10th-round stoppage at the AO Arena - scene of his shock first knockout loss to the same opponent back in January.
The manner of Eubank Jr’s victory will have him targeting some huge fights in future, though it remains to be seen if we could yet get a trilogy bout with Smith to settle their heated rivalry once and for all with the two men now locked at one emphatic win apiece.
For his part, Eubank Jr still has his sights fixed on battling Golovkin, whom he looked set to fight back in 2016 before the bout fell through and the legendary Kazakh took on Brook in London instead.
The prospect of that meeting has continued to be floated in the years since, with Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler having stated back in January - before the first Smith fight - that returning to the UK for a contest against Eubank Jr was an “interesting option” for his fighter.
Golovkin, now 41, has not fought for a full year, since going up to super-middleweight and losing to undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez in a one-sided third instalment of their epic rivalry.
He had previously gone to Japan last April to defend his IBF and IBO middleweight world titles, adding the WBA strap with a ninth-round stoppage of Ryota Murata in Saitama.
Eubank Jr’s call-out of Golovkin was centred around winning one of those belts, but in fact the latter vacated his unified titles earlier this year having declined to face mandatory challengers Esquiva Falcao and Erislandy Lara. He currently has no fights scheduled as things stand.
“Listen, I want to fight Triple G,” Eubank Jr told Sky Sports on Saturday night. “I don’t know where he is right now, but wherever you are Gennady, you’ve been holding onto them belts for too long.
“I want to take one, so let’s get that on if we can. 100 per cent.”
— Conor Nigel Benn (@ConorNigel) September 2, 2023
Eubank Jr had been scheduled to face Benn in a high-profile catchweight bout last October, before that fight was called off after Benn failed two drugs tests.
But the clash is expected to happen now Benn is free to fight again in the UK, while Eubank Jr could also tempt Brook out of retirement for another lucrative all-British scrap.
“There’s some big names out there, I see a few of these guys in the crowd. I’m coming for you. I’m coming for you Conor, I’m coming for you,” Eubank Jr said.
“I’m coming for you Kell, I’m coming for you. Anyone else who wants it, we’re going to put on a show for the fans, that’s for sure.”
Responding to Eubank Jr on social media, Benn wrote on Saturday night: “Not impressed... it’s curtains in four rounds if you fight me at 160lbs.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn also tweeted: “Eubank v Benn..absolutely massive.”
