Eubank Jr vs Abraham Headline Wembley on Saturday – This Saturday night in London, second-generation boxer Chris Eubank Jr. (24-1) defends his IBO world super middleweight title against the challenge of Germany’s veteran former world champion Arthur Abraham (46-5).
Chris Eubank Jr. is the show this weekend, just ask him and his father! Eubank Sr. is a former middleweight world champion whose 1990’s rivalries with the likes of Nigel Benn and Joe Calzaghe were part of Britain’s boxing revival and he has not gotten used to the idea of being out of the limelight. Eubank Sr. has been guiding the career of his son and the pair have been working with Poxon Sports as a promotional company for their last few fights. The bombastic Eubank Sr. may have a method to his madness. however, as he takes a lot of the heat off his son by being so visible. At the end of the day, Chris Eubank Sr. may be a whack job as a promoter, but he was a hall of fame-level boxer in his day and his son can box some as well.
Arthur Abraham represents a big step up in competition for Eubank Jr. The lone loss on Eubank Jr’s record comes via split decision to Billy Joe Saunders and he followed that fight with a win over Russia’s Dmitry Chudinov, but the rest of his resume consists of strictly regional opposition.
Abraham is a veteran of over 50 fights and he has fought 22 world title fights in his long career. He lost the WBO world super middleweight belt in April of 2016 when he lost to Gilberto Ramirez in Las Vegas, but he has bounced back to win two in a row since then. He first entered the world title picture as a middleweight in December of 2015 when he won the IBF title.
For nearly half a decade, observers of Abraham have been saying that his performances have shown he is slowing down. At 37 years old, Abraham will walk into the ring a decade older than Eubank Jr and he will also have slight height and reach disadvantages. Though Abraham has never been KO’d, he runs that risk here as Eubank Jr has stopped his last six opponents. If Abraham has continued on the downward spiral and comes in a step slow against Eubank Jr., he is going to have trouble landing at all. Notably, Eubank Jr. enters the fight a considerable favorite.
Eubank Jr vs Abraham Headline Wembley on Saturday
Lee Selby’s IBF world featherweight title defense against Johnathan Victor Barros (41-4-1) sits as the co-feature and the bout is also getting attention at the sports books. Selby (24-1) is making the fourth defense of his belt against Argentine Barros who, now 37 years old, and briefly held the WBA crown at featherweight back in 2010-2011, will walk into the bout with Selby a major underdog.
Undefeated British boxers Robbie Davies Jr. (15-0), Kid Galahad (22-0) and Martin Joseph Ward (17-0-2) are also scheduled for 12-round bouts that could get attention at the sports books by week’s end.
Wembley Arena – London, England
Super Middleweight 12 rounds –
Arthur Abraham +650
Chris Eubank Jr -1000
Featherweight 12 rounds –
Jonathan Victor Barros +2000
Lee Selby -4000
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