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FIGHT WEEK
Middleweight contenders Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr. will meet in a rematch Saturday after Smith’s sensational knockout of his rival this past January.
LIAM SMITH (33-3-1, 20 KOS) VS.
CHRIS EUBANK JR. (32-3, 23 KOS)
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 2
- Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: AO Arena, Manchester, England
- TV/Stream: ESPN+
- Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
- At stake: No major titles
- Odds: Smith 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Pound-for-pound: None
- Also on the card: Mikaela Mayer vs. Silvia Bortot Confirmed, junior welterweights; Adam Azim vs. Aram Fanyan, junior welterweights; Mark Heffron vs. Jack Cullen, super middleweights; Frazer Clarke vs. Dave Allen, heavyweights; Florian Marku vs. Dylan Moran, welterweights
- Prediction: Eubank UD
- Background: Smith and Eubank are scheduled to meet for a second time after Smith’s stunning fourth-round knockout of his countryman and fellow contender on Jan. 21 in the same arena. Smith stunned Eubank with a right hand and followed with several more damaging blows, putting him down and hurting him badly. Eubank was able to stagger to his feet and continued for a moment but he went down again under a barrage of punches, prompting the referee to stop the fight. Eubank quickly exercised the rematch clause in their contract. Smith, 35, has demonstrated admirable resilience to remain a contender almost 15 years after he became a professional. His most recent setback came in May 2021, when he lost a close decision to unbeaten 160-pound contender Magomed Kurbanov. He bounced back by delivering one of the better stretches of his career to reestablish himself as a major player, consecutive knockouts of Anthony Fowler, Jessie Vargas, Hassan Mwakinyo and Eubank. Eubank, 33, had been on an impressive run, six consecutive victories (three by knockout) since losing a decision to George Groves in 2018. The resident of Sussex seemed to be on the verge of realizing his potential. Then came the disaster against Smith, which put Eubank in a precarious position. A second setback against the Liverpudlian could knock him out of the rankings and dash any immediate hopes for a shot at a major title.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
FRIDAY
- Yuliahn Luna vs. Dina Thorslund, bantamweights (for Luna’s WBC and Thorslund’s WBO titles), Holstebro, Denmark (FITE)
