Liam Smith Targeting Chris Eubank Jr. Trilogy
Liam Smith is hoping he can secure a trilogy match with Chris Eubank Jr. if he can get past Josh Kelly.
Smith and Kelly are expected to fight at Wembley Stadium on September 21 on the undercard of Daniel Dubois vs. Anthony Joshua. Heading into this fight, Smith’s trainer Joe McNally wants it to be Smith’s last fight, but he knows the Brit is after the trilogy with Eubank Jr.
“I’d love it to be,” McNally told BoxingScene when asked if the next fight could be Smith’s last. “He’s paid his dues. But I know that Eubank fight burns him real bad, and I do think that if he does an impressive job on Josh Kelly and he’s injury-free, I know he’ll love that trilogy for him, and it’s only fair to do so for him, isn’t it? The first one wasn’t no fluke. He dismantled him – and then the second one he was fucked. It’s only fair. The public have asked for it. But the promoters and Chris themselves – they want no part of it.
“As soon as he done the first job on him, ‘Rematch; rematch; rematch’. Liam didn’t have to. He didn’t have to, but he done it, so I think it’s only right that they give him a trilogy. I wanted him to pull out of the Eubank fight – he wasn’t ready. His injury was too severe, and the money they were giving him – it’s prizefighting. You’re fighting for your future; for your family. That’s the bottom goal – to be a champion and be financially secure. So when they’re offering that type of money, what does he say? Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I wanted him to pull out knowing Chris had nowhere to go. [Promoter and broadcaster] Boxxer and Sky, ‘The fight will go; the fight will go,'” McNally added.
“It was going nowhere. He could have fought Chris now. Chris ain’t doing nothing. When it comes to the names, Chris prices himself out of everything. Which is a shame, because he’s a fantastic fighter,” McNally added. “If the passion weren’t there to prepare for the fight, without the money, I wouldn’t have no part of it. But he’s training like a motherfucker, and that’s all I can ask for.”
Smith and Eubank Jr. fought twice in 2023 with Smith winning the first fight by TKO and lost the second by TKO. The plan for Smith is to get the win and then secure the trilogy match.
