Chris Eubank Jr. Declines Mandatory Slot For Alimkhanuly Bout
On the surface, fighters often talk about their willingness to face anyone, anytime, only to turn around and avoid fighting certain opponents. Such is the case of Chris Eubank Jr. (33-3, 24 KOs). He seemingly wants no part of a potential fight with reigning unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly.
Eubank Jr. was named the WBO mandatory middleweight challenger following his September 2 tenth-round stoppage victory in a rematch with Liam Smith. But 3kingsboxing.com has learned that representatives for the 34-year-old contacted the sanctioning body requesting that Eubank Jr. be removed from that position.
It’s no secret that Eubank Jr. is actively pursuing a grudge match with rival Conor Benn. That contest has been targeted to occur in either December 2023 or early 2024.
A HEAD-SCRATCHING DECISION
A victory over Benn would been an excellent catalyst for the opportunity to become a unified world champion. Eubank Jr. has claimed he wants to fight the elite at 160 and 168 for several years. But when given a chance in position for a possible fight with Alimkhanuly, Eubank Jr. is bypassing the opportunity.
Alimkhanuly is coming off a sixth-round stoppage over Vincenzo Gualtieri to become the unified champion on October 10. It’s a strong likelihood that with his earning potential in his home country of England, Eubank Jr. stood a strong chance of luring the unified champion to pack his bags and fight in the UK. As a fighter, you never want to give the impression that you’re ducking any fighter. Many in the boxing community view this move as Eubank Jr. ducking a fight with Alimkhanuly.
