Chris Eubank Jnr has taken the short cut to matchmaking; Twitter. Into the ring to fight Saul Alvarez goes Eubank’s hat, delivered with the standard dig at an old foe.
“Billy Bottle Job Saunders won’t fight Canelo in two months? I’m ready to go in two days! So a fight in September? No problem.”
Setting aside his animosity with Saunders, who outskilled Eubank six years ago, Canelo would be a great fight for junior.
It would be a better match at 160 pounds for Eubank, but it looks like Canelo has settled at super middleweight and would not want to hand Eubank any advantage.
Eubank has his old man’s chin and his courage. He can really fight. It is a shame has not won a legitimate title yet.
Canelo was terrific at light middle. He was not a big middleweight, but he is chunky and has settled at 168, which is where Eubank would have to fight him.
Canelo needs a big name and Eubank offers profile. He is a fraction from being a champion. Maybe Canelo is not the best opportunity to realise his dream but it is a dream fight nonetheless.
Canelo is a master going forward and proficient in retreat. He shuts down the ring brilliantly, has fast hands and an incredible chin.
He has been fighting pretty much all his life and has developed a brilliant radar, an uncanny ability not to get hit square. He avoids the power shots.
That is a serious asset in the last rounds of a championship fight.
Eubank loves a guy that walks him down. That is why George Groves stood off him in Manchester two years ago.
Eubank has never really mastered the front foot moves. It is relatively easy to box off the back foot, much more difficult to initiate.
You have to learn how to push off the back foot, to shuffle forward behind the jab, get into position to fire. It takes patience, a lot of pad work and sparring.
Doing it against a bag is easy. When you have a moving target in front of you, you must learn to move your feet, feint, not get hit with full blooded shots.
Eubank relies on his fast hands, granite chin and incredible engine. He has decent power, good body movement but slow feet. At 30 he can still get better but that depends on his willingness to change.
At least Canelo will at some point walk him down. But by then it might be too late.
Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym @CyclonePromo
