THE announcement of Chris Eubank Jr’s, 34-3 (25 KOs), long-awaited showdown with Conor Benn, 23-0 (14 KOs), has got the boxing world talking for both good and bad reasons. Now, with the finer details of the event expected imminently, whispers of the undercard have begun to emerge.
Benn famously failed a drug test by testing positive for Clomifene during the build-up to his eventually cancelled grudge match with Eubank back in 2022, further intensifying the Eubank-Benn rivalry and causing many fans to switch sides to support the usual pantomime villain, Eubank.
Now, following Turki Al-Alshikh’s announcement that the domestic duo will meet on April 26, BoxingScene has reported that some notable British names will appear on the bill.
First is the return of former WBO super-welterweight champion Liam Smith, 33-4-1 (20 KOs), who would end a 19-month spell of inactivity in a proposed showdown with undefeated Irish middleweight Aaron McKenna, 19-0 (10 KOs).
Smith had been poised to return on the Joshua-Dubois bill at Wembley Stadium in a clash with fellow Briton Josh Kelly but was forced to withdraw from the bout after picking up a virus the week prior.
Meanwhile, McKenna had agreed to partake in the seemingly collapsed PrizeFighter Japan tournament and overcame Jeovanny Estela in the opening round of the tournament but now seems set to move on and return to action in the United Kingdom.
Another surprise name being mentioned is highly rated super-lightweight prospect Adam Azim, 12-0 (9 KOs), despite the fact that he is scheduled to take on former IBF world champion Sergey Lipinets, 18-3-1 (13 KOs) on February 1 for the IBO world title.
Should Azim come through the clash without picking up an injury, a card of this magnitude could prove to be an ideal platform on which he can further build his superstardom globally. However, issues with hand injuries in the past could hamper such a quick turnaround, as could Lipinets if he pulled off the upset.
Finally, the ever-popular Viddal Riley, 12-0 (7 KOs) was set to face Isaac Chamberlain for the English cruiserweight title until Chamberlain withdrew because of an injury recently.
Yet, Riley is now being touted for a shot at the British title, with champion Cheavon Clarke, 10-1 (7KOs), dropping back down to domestic level after picking up a first career defeat against Leonardo Mosquea in Monte Carlo last month.
All will be revealed in the coming weeks, with a venue for the event still yet to be formally announced, as well as the undercard for what could even be a Matchroom vs. Boxxer ‘five versus five’ – if Liam Smith were to re-sign with Eddie Hearn’s promotional outfit.
