CHRIS EUBANK JR insists that he is on a collision course with WBA super-middleweight world champion George Groves.
After beating Arthur Abraham at Wembley Arena on Saturday, Eubank’s next fight will be against Avni Yilidrim in the World Boxing Super Series. “Now I’m entered into this ‘Super Eight’ tournament, a lot of good fights in that tournament and we will sign on the dotted line. So the next eight to 10 months are going to be very busy for me and that’s exactly what I need at this stage of my career,” Eubank said after his last fight.
Despite his pre-fight expectations, Eubank did not halt Abraham inside the distance. But he said, “I didn’t lose a round against an elite level fighter. So I’m happy with it. I didn’t stop him but as you guys saw he was badly hurt on more than one occasion.
“He’s tough dude and I’ve got a lot of respect for that. A lot of guys would have crumbled under that type of pressure. He did not come here to lay down and I guess that’s why he’s had such a successful career. Because he has that mindset, he doesn’t give up.”
Explaining the choice of fighting Yildirim to open his account in the Super Series, he said, “He’s the fighter I thought would be the toughest test out of the names I was given and also the fighter that I thought would make for the most entertaining fight out of the names I was given. I told my father to pick him and he has a similar style to Abraham so that’s perfect for me.”
He expects the tournament to lead him to Groves. “We will be in the ring within the next five to six months. We both have fights round September time. I will win mine, if he wins his, we will meet early next year,” Eubank said. “Groves knows what I am. He knows what’s happened in the past [in sparring]. Deep down he knows that that title is coming home with me in the next six months.”
“I don’t care about any of the rest really,” he added.
