CHRIS EUBANK JNR has apparently held his own against the likes of Carl Froch, George Groves and James DeGale in sparring. But after a story came out that referenced Eubank getting the better of a ‘Russian’ in Southampton, boxing manager Al Siesta got in touch with Boxing News.
Siesta believes the Russian in question is his fighter, WBC No.7 welterweight David Avanesyan, 18-1-1 (9). According to Siesta, Eubank Jnr visited Southampton in July with his trainer Ronnie Davies and his father Chris Eubank, to spar Avanesyan.
“I looked at Chris and he was, I reckon, 74 or 75 kilograms,” Siesta recalls. “He looked like a super-middleweight, and was significantly taller. I asked Ronnie, ‘How many rounds do you want to do?’ He said, ‘Lets do six rounds’.
“It was significant domination [from David]. It was like if you put an ordinary fighter with a skilled fighter. His father [Eubank Snr] turned up. The sparring finished and it was very one-sided.
“Ronnie asked us to keep it quiet and asked to spar again. It was, I think, the Tuesday and he said he was going to come back on the Friday. I asked David and he said, ‘He’s a lot heavier than me but if he wants to spar again, no problem.’
“Chris Snr took Chris outside and he started bollocking him, properly. He was saying something like, ‘Yeah that’s what I told you because you don’t take it seriously.’ There was something about girls, something about this and that. He had a right go at him. He [Eubank Snr] was pleasant but he was a bit upset. It didn’t go according to plan.”
Siesta claims Eubank Jnr returned a few days later. The sparring, though not as one-sided, was again bossed by the 26-year-old Russian.
“They came on Friday,” Siesta continued. “David was told to take it easy. They started to spar and Chris pushed him and they fell to the ropes. David fell to the ropes and then it became a proper bullying again. Afterwards he [Eubank] didn’t say goodbye, he just packed his clothes. Ronnie was really nice. He said thank you very much and said we’d got an incredible kid, that he was a world champion in the making. But Chris just left and David said he was really rude and arrogant.”
Siesta – who only decided to get in touch when he saw the comments from Eubank Snr – is picking Billy Joe Saunders to beat Eubank Jnr tonight.
“Do I believe Saunders will beat Eubank? Absolutely. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a brilliant publicity machine, they have secured a great fight, but he’s an ordinary fighter.”
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