Chris Eubank Jr vows to prove his world champion status against Arthur Abraham

Action Images via Reuters
John Dillon15 July 2017

Chris Eubank Jr insists he will force boxing to take his world champion status seriously by dispatching veteran Arthur Abraham in London on Saturday night.

The super-middleweight’s IBO belt has been derided by some after he won it with an easy victory against little-known and inexperienced Aussie Renold Quinlan in February.

But he is adamant that a victory against much-respected former double world champion Abraham will prove his elite status – and lead to a major showdown with London rival George Groves next year.

Both Eubank and WBA super-middleweight champion Groves are set to compete in the new World Boxing Super Series cup-style tournament.

The expectation is that they could meet in the final in February if Eubank confirms his entry by defeating the 37-year old Abraham at the SSE Wembley Arena.

There is no doubt that 27-year-old Eubank is facing the most demanding test of his career against former IBF middleweight and WBO super-middleweight title holder Abraham despite the German-Armenian’s age.

He said: “Abraham is world class but I’m elite class – that’s the difference.

“I know I am up against the toughest opponent of my career but I can’t wait to get going. I respect him. I know what he has done in the past and I know how solid he is. But I’m something very special and I will show everyone that I’m the best super middleweight in the world.

In Pictures | Chris Eubank Jr defeats Renold Quinlan | 05/02/2017

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“I’m very proud of my world title and Abraham is not going to wrestle it from me. He can come at me with me with anything he wants, but he is not going away with anything other than another loss on his record.

“This feels like a new chapter for me. I’m fresh off winning the world title and I feel super middleweight is a great division for me, now that I’ve moved up to it. It feels right. It feels like a very comfortable.”

“It’s true that Abraham has never boxed in England but I can’t see that being an issue as he has travelled everywhere and I’ve a lot of respect for that

Abraham’s extensive record contains 46 wins and five defeats and he has had the vast majority of fights in Germany, where has a huge fan base.

He has won two successive comeback contests since he lost his WBO title last year to the still undefeated Mexican Gilberto Ramirez.

His other major defeats have come at the hands of top level opponents Carl Froch and Andre Ward. And he scored two successive defeats of Britain’s Paul Smith in his second reign as WBO super-middleweight champion in 2014 and 2015.

Eubank and Hammersmith’s newly-crowned WBA champion Groves would fight through a quarter-final and semi-final to meet in the final of the eight-man Super Series cup competition.

Groves is set to meet Briton Jamie Cox in the opening bout in London on October 14 while Eubank would take on Turkey’s Avni Yildirim if he beats Abraham tomorrow.

Eubank added: “The new super middleweight series is there to decide who is the best out there at 12 stone and I’m in the pot.

“I will show them all, one by one, that I’m the very best and that I would go in with anyone. I am a big believer in getting into the ring with the best and beating them, just like my Dad, Chris senior. He would always fight the best and I will carry on that tradition.”

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