Goodison Park has emerged as an unlikely venue for Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr’s summer rematch.
Smith stopped Eubank Jr with brutal and clinical authority in the fourth round of their middleweight contest at a packed AO Arena in Manchester at the end of January. The defeat by Smith was the third of the 33-year-old’s professional career and first via stoppage.
Smith had suggested he would prefer a fresh opponent in his next contest, as the 34-year-old eyed a clash with former world champion Gennady Golovkin, but he now looks to be on course for a second meeting with Eubank Jr after the Brighton fighter activated his rematch clause last month.
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The former Archbishop Beck pupil has made no secret of his desire to fight at the home of his beloved Liverpool FC. Talks, the ECHO understands, did take place between Boxxer and the Reds, but due to work on the Anfield Road stand, Smith has now accepted there is no chance of the fight taking place at Anfield in the summer.
However, speaking to Slothboxx, Smith revealed that Goodison Park has been mentioned as a possible venue for the fight, and even though he is a huge Liverpool fan, he would love to take on his arch-rival at the Old Lady.
He said: “I would love it, but it is just not going to happen at Anfield. I am going to put it out there now. The year we want to go is the year the Anfield Road is getting done.
“I have got people close to Liverpool, no friendlies are even happening there, once the last game of the season it is getting demolished basically.
“There are singing events there this year. It is just unfortunate, but never say never, Goodison has been mentioned to be honest with you and I would fully take that.
“With Goodison, take football out of it, it is a massive outdoor stadium in Liverpool so I would love to get Eubank there.”
Goodison Park was of course the venue for Tony Bellew’s stunning knockout win over Ilunga Makubu back in May 2016.
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