Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Smith squared off twice in 2023, and after Smith was eliminated in the second fight, he took some time off to think about his options.
Smith(33-4-1, 20KOs) , who was a massive underdog in their first meeting in January of last year, pulled off an incredible upset at the Manchester Arena with a devastating fourth-round knockout.
But in their September rematch, Eubank Jr.(33-3, 24KOs) a 34-year old boxer from East Sussex, England made a stunning turnaround, controlling the fight and winning by knockout in the tenth round.
Should there be a trilogy bout, Smith, 35, from Liverpool, England is motivated to win again after suffering such a humiliating defeat.
“I think it’s probably obvious what I want next. I’d love a third fight with Eubank if he doesn’t get the Conor Benn fight or whatever it might be,” said Smith in media reports.
Smith’s recent performance in the ring was so muted that questions about his prospects in the sport have followed.
“The same people saying I’m finished after Eubank II were saying I’m the best middleweight in the world after Eubank I. How can I be finished in seven months with no fights in between?” said Smith.
“If I had a good camp and boxed well then lost like that, I’d have retired instantly in the ring. Me in fighting shape, I’d take on anyone in the world,” he added.
Prior to their second fight, Smith had to recover from a serious back injury, and he feels that this made it harder for him to gain weight, which ultimately led to his devastating loss to Eubank Jr.
“My battle was the scales and my condition rather than Eubank. I never had one thought process about Chris. That’s brutally honest,” said Smith.
“My biggest battle was making weight in that timeframe. I had 42lbs to lose in seven weeks. When have I ever gone into a fight and thrown that many punches? One thing I’ve always been good for is a 12-round fight with a good engine,” he added.
“I’ve got more fire in my belly because of the last performance. I’m injury free now, I’ve had a good layoff. It’s down to me to knuckle down and get myself back in good shape, prove a few people wrong and prove I’ve still got a lot left to give,” he continued.
