Chris Eubank Jr. is currently deliberating whether a potential fight against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in Las Vegas this September makes financial sense.
Eubank’s promoter, Ben Shalom of Boxxer, has indicated that negotiations with Canelo are ongoing and that the chances of this bout happening are about "50/50". Las Vegas is the most likely venue for the fight.
At 34, Eubank is acutely aware that time is running out to achieve his career goals.
”I think he knows it’s now or never [to fight] a lot of the names that have been talked about throughout his career,” Shalom told BoxingScene. “Chris has a certain expectation for a fight like that; he’s earned a huge amount during his career, and he’s got other big fights being offered to him but it’s definitely a fight that he wants."
Canelo Alvarez, who has dominated negotiations since Floyd Mayweather’s retirement in 2017, poses a significant challenge in terms of financial agreements. Despite this, Eubank's strong marketability in the UK makes the fight an attractive proposition. Shalom noted:
”As a promoter all you can do, sometimes, is get the deal on the table and present it. Ultimately it comes down to the fighter and whether, financially, it works for him.”
The possibility of the fight taking place in the UK was considered, but logistical issues have made Las Vegas the more likely location. Shalom explained:
”The difficulty we’ve had with that one is that with the ‘AJ’ [versus Daniel Dubois] card on September 21 it’s hard to envision another stadium card a week either side of that." He added that while Canelo is interested in fighting in the UK for legacy reasons, Eubank is the only opponent who could generate the desired numbers and spectacle.
If the Canelo fight does not materialize, Eubank’s immediate goal is to secure a world title at middleweight. However, Shalom confirmed that a fight with Conor Benn is not currently being discussed.
Previously Chris signed an agreement with Boxxer, read more about that here.
Image Credit: Sky Sports