By Edward Chaykovsky
Former two division world champion David Haye believes British middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr. (23-1, 18KOs) is the only man capable - at the 160 limit - of defeating WBC/IBO/WBA/IBF middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) his first defeat as a pro.
Last Saturday night, Eubank beat down previously undefeated Tom Doran (17-1, 7KOs) in a one-sided affair that lasted four rounds before the referee had seen enough.
There are serious negotiations to stage Golovkin-Eubank in the fall. Golovkin, due to his pound-for-pound status and 22 fight knockout streak, is a huge favorite in the contest.
If a deal is finalized, it appears the contest might land in the O2 Arena in London. Eubank's promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport is trying to work out the final particulars of the agreement.
Haye considers Eubank Jr. to be a 'world class fighter' and doesn't see any other candidate in the weight class who stands a better chance than Eubank to snatch away Golovkin's unbeaten record.
"The only person at middleweight currently who has the ability, mindset and the nerve to beat Golovkin is Chris Eubank Jnr. I've seen him up close, I've sparred with him, I've watched him spar with Carl Froch and George Groves, who are both a weight above him, and he always gives a great account of himself. For me, Chris Eubank Jnr is the only fighter capable of beating Golovkin," Haye told Sky Sports.
"I'm a big fan of his, I've watched him develop and progress over the years and I was commentating for Sky at ringside for his last fight and he looked brilliant. He looked like a proper pound-for-pound fighter. Okay, it was just for the British title, but to fight for the British title and to have such a big gulf in ability, power, speed and every department? He was so far in front of Tom Doran, it was quite sickeningly one-sided. As a fight fan watching, it was great to watch. But to be in the other guy's corner, it was a bad night for the poor lad."