To be labelled a pay-per-view attraction is the pinnacle for any Boxer in Britain. Floyd Mayweather has shown in recent years just how lucrative the lifestyle can be if breaking that boundary between terrestrial television and box office viewership.
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Post-Froch UK PPV Era
Following the retirement of former IBF and WBA World super middleweight champion Carl Froch, Britain is on the search for its next PPV star. Kell Brook, the current welterweight champion, is being moulded to fit such a model, whereas outspoken heavyweight Tyson Fury is set to headline Sky Sports Box Office later next month.
However, there has yet to be a standout contender to take the reins from Carl Froch in becoming Britain’s next big attraction. It is position that demands more than just outstanding boxing ability. A boxer needs the skill, style and personality to transcend in to a household name.
Chris Eubank Jr is a fighter that can potentially tick all of these boxes. Yes, he is given somewhat of a head start thanks to being the son of a British boxing great, but he also possess the necessary profile to grow in to a leading box office entity.
Bouncing Back From Defeat
Under the dominated guidance of his father, Junior has accumulated a record of 19-1 (14KOs) since turning professional in 2011. The only blip on his record came against Billy-Joe Saunders last year when he showed inexperience to lose a split-decision.
It was a fight that drew much criticism upon Chris Eubank Sr’s shoulders. The former two-weight world champion opted to strike poses between rounds instead of giving his son expert advice in the corner. Junior finished the bout strongly in the second half of the fight but was left with far too much to do to snatch the win.
In February, he returned from the defeat with a thrilling TKO victory over Dmitry Chudinov to show the world what he truly possesses – immense talent. His power and aggression shone through on that night when he stopped the tough Russian in a brutal final round.
This summer, Chris Eubank Jr put pen-to-paper on a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn. It is a partnership that many expected to materialise years ago due to Chris Eubank Sr’s success alongside Matchroom founder Barry Hearn.
Sky Sports/Matchroom Debut
Nonetheless, Chris Eubank Jr is set to make his Sky Sports debut this Saturday in Sheffield when he faces American Tony Jeter. It is the first step in a well-prepared plan to build Junior towards world title contention in 2016. The 26-year old has quickly targeted unified champion Gennady Golovkin in a bid to draw further attention from the boxing community which has proved to be a great success.
Chris Eubank Jr now has the platform to excel in the sport of boxing. His career so far has been somewhat tainted with controversy. However, he is currently surrounded by some of sports top professionals which make him primed to go far. His punch power, agility, speed and stamina in the ring gives Eubank Jr all of the credentials to really dominate on the world scene in the years to come.
He has learnt a great deal since the defeat to Saunders last year and will improve for the experience. Under the guidance of new trainer Booth and Matchroom Boxing, Chris Eubank Jr has everything he needs to be Britain’s next boxing and PPV star. All that is left is for the fighter to produce the goods inside the ring.
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