Blackwell, Eubank Jr. Make Weight For Middleweight Grudge Match

By Jake Donovan 

Nick Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. have spent the past few weeks jawing at one another through the press. That level of hostility spilled over into the pre-fight weigh-in ahead of their British middleweight title bout Saturday evening at Wembley SSE Arena in London, England.

Both fighters made weight for the headlining attraction. Blackwell (19-3-1, 8KOs) tipped the scales at a trim and ready 159.25 lbs. for the third defense of his domestic title. Eubank Jr. (21-1, 16KOs) checked in at a shredded 159.6 lbs. 

The obligatory post weigh-in staredown was complete with the main event boxers jawing at one another for several minutes. The session threatened to cease after a minute or so, only for security to be encouraged to stand down upon request by reigning World heavyweight king Tyson Fury, in attendance to support his cousin and unbeaten prospect Hughie Fury, who faces Dominick Guinn in the evening's chief support. 

The 6'6" Fury weighed in at 234.6 lbs. for his first fight of the new year after a four-win campaign in 2015. An active run is in the works for the months ahead, with Fury (18-0, 10KOs) already booked for an April 30 appearance at Copper Box Arena in London. 

Standing in his way is Guinn, a heavyweight retread who comes in as a late replacement for Nagy Aguilera, who withdrew due to injury one week ago. 

Guinn accepted the assignment on short notice, weighing a fleshy and career-heavy 254.6 lbs. for his first fight in more than a year. The one-time contender - who turns 40 in April - scored a tune-up win last February, his lone piece of ring action since a competitive but clear points loss to former two-division champ Tomasz Adamek in Aug. '13.

While he didn't have any fights lined up, there were plans for Guinn to join unbeaten reigning heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder in his training camp for a May 21 title defense versus Alexander Povetkin. That might be delayed given his decision to face Fury on Saturday. 

As for the main event, Blackwell comes in as the underdog despite serving as the defending titlist. The 25-year old is unbeaten in his last seven starts following a rough patch that saw losses to Billy Joe Saunders and Max Bursak, who happen to be scheduled to face one another next month, for Saundes' first defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight title. 

Among Blackwell's current streak is a 7th round knockout of John Ryder last May, claiming the vacant British middleweight belt. Two defenses followed, scoring a 6th round stoppage of previously unbeaten Damon Jones and - in his most recent performance last October - a 12-round nod over Jack Arnfield. 

Eubank Jr. - the son of famed former two-division titlist Chris Eubank - comes in riding a three-fight win streak following his lone career loss.

The second-generation middleweight came up just short in a Nov. '14 title eliminator versus Saunders, yet another bout in his career that became a grudge match. If nothing else, Eubank Jr. captured his father's penchant for turning ring rivals into bitter enemies long before the opening bell, but is still feeling his way around in the pro ranks. 

Significant career promise surfaced in his 2015 run, scoring three knockout wins. His first fight following his narrow loss to Saunders was perhaps his most impressive showing to date, scoring a 12th round stoppage of previously unbeaten Fedor Chudinov for an interim version of the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight title. 

Just one defense followed, a 2nd round stoppage of Tony Jeter before vacating the belt. The feat was followed by an impressive and one-sided 7th round stoppage over the respectable Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan last December in London. 

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox