Comments Thread For: Eubank Jr. Promoter on Liam Smith Upset: Weight Was Not the Issue

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

In a recent interview, Kalle Sauerland, the chief handler of Chris Eubank Jr, said he could offer no alibis for Liam Smith's shocking fourth-round stoppage of Eubank in their middleweight bout last Saturday night in front of a sell-out crowd at AO Arena in Manchester, England.
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[LAchargers373]

This is the biggest rematch in british history. Hope it’s as good as the 1st one. I’ve been waiting for this rematch a long time

[thack]

If it was not due to weight then Jr. is in big trouble but think Kalle is saying this knowing full well it is and was .Kalle is not bothered he was okay with trying to get him down to 157 for the little Benn fight , Jr. at 159 looks like a skeleton. Kalle also knows that after that performance he would be laughed at should it be suggested he move to 168 . He's got to really beg Liam to fight a rematch at 160 and not as Liam suggests 157 and either way Liam will more than likely do the same again.....truth is who really cares.

[Combat Talk Radio]

Look, the [Smith] fight was made at middleweight. He came in at 159, voluntarily. The weight’s not the issue.

"English" said that he's always been 160 and about and to be below that would kill him.

So

[tokon]

It's refreshing to hear "no excuses".

Eubank did look gaunt at 159 though.

[SugarAnt05]

He shouldn’t use weight as an excuse as he agreed to it however he doesn’t look great. He looked sunken. He needs to fight 168lb euro level guys until he can cash out

[thack]

Liam is cracking on in age and most would have said before this demolition job that his best days were behind him and that was all at 154. Good luck to Liam but Jr. can't be taken seriously now as his main attributes were engine and durability, there was little signs of any hand speed .All credit to Liam but if Jr. is to continue the tough and durable aura has gone and even a good little boxer has proven he can do a job on him and KO him.

[PRINCEKOOL]

The training camp for Benn, in my opinion? Had a carry over effect for the Smith fight.

Eubank Junior not only had to make 157 pounds 'But on fight night, he could weigh no more than 5 pounds over that limit'.

So the maximum Eubank Junior could weigh was 162 pounds on fight night.

Eubank Junior clearly adhered to these requirements for Benn, the trauma of training under such conditions 'I think has chronically drained him'.

In a era where most fighters in the lower weight divisions weight drain themselves, eventually it will have a negative effect on their conditioning.

I have highlighted this issue before. The toxic weight draining culture in boxing is a modern phenomenon, it never existed when boxing was using 'The same day weigh in rule'.

Liam Smith weight drains himself more than Eubank Junior, he is really a 160 pound fighter. Smith most likely was heavier than Eubank Junior on fight night.

But that is his game, some fighters in this modern area develop expertise at weight draining themselves. Liam Smith fought very well, and I was impressed by his tactics and educated pressure etc.

Even if Eubank Junior is in better condition for the rematch, this fight is a really tough challenge for him.

[Apollo7]

Eubank Jr has never been the most skilled, he's fighting with a style that doesn't really suit him imo and he got caught with some good shots. The same thing might have happened at any weight.

[Liondw]

No excuses, c'mon, Liam Smith walked him down and knocked him out.

As simple as that, wasn't because of an elbow, although not saying it didn't do some damage.

Eubank Jr is a guy who was competitive against Saunders and outboxed by Groves. He is about two levels below the top fighters.