'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAICAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECBAUAEQMhBgcTFAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYRAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAhEAEiEiMUFh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDOVP6YquWZ4PZ10pfmzgSY8mOrfVEbbuWU9u2yACOhrvIW/wDGfW0K9tIyVliF4JsjjUfp3oI5A7OMYZvM6djzC/P3KpK1Qi2lLNNobQEqAHq8/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The second chapter of the rivalry between Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Smith will reportedly come in May.
'Next Gen' and 'Beefy' had a high-profile middleweight clash last month in the U.K. The lead-up to the fight was compelling, as the two British stars had a lot of contempt for one another.
Controversy arose after their fight week press conference saw Smith accuse Eubank Jr. of being gay. In response, the former champion wore a rainbow-colored armband to the weigh-ins as a sign of defiance. However, for the fun of the build, many fans expected the matchup itself to not be close.
On fight night, Chris Eubank Jr. entered as a massive favorite, and it showed early on. The former champion was outclassing Liam Smith with his speed in the opening rounds, but in round four it all changed with a massive combination.
After rocking and badly dropping the former champion, the underdog pulled off the victory with a fourth-round TKO. While Eubank Jr. was unhappy with the stoppage, it was too little, too late.
Nonetheless, Chris Eubank Jr. hinted that he would activate the rematch clause to face his foe again. Now, in a report from No Smoke Boxing, it's been confirmed that the second clash will go down later this year.
As of now, the targeted fight date is May 27th, with locations being scouted in Manchester and Liverpool. Once again, the matchup is expected to air on Sky Sports Box Office.
Roy Jones Jr. blames illegal elbow for Chris Eubank Jr.'s loss
Part of the reason why Chris Eubank Jr. will likely activate the rematch clause is that he doesn't believe his defeat was legitimate.
Immediately following 'Beefy's upset win over 'Next Gen' there was controversy. The main reason was that the finishing sequence was a bit strange, as Eubank Jr. kept getting up from the canvas, but was on unsteady legs.
The former champion complained following the stoppage that he was not in danger, but that's not his main issue. Since the loss, Eubank Jr. and his head coach Roy Jones Jr. have complained of an illegal elbow.
During the finishing sequence, Liam clearly landed an errant elbow on Eubank Jr. However, the shot wasn't the reason why the former champion lost, as he was already visibly rocked prior to that shot.
Nonetheless, Roy still believes his fighter was cheated, and also doesn't like that he's getting blamed for it. In a since-deleted Instagram post, the legend wrote:
“Warning! All boxers! Avoid Roy Jones Jr as a trainer! Never mind this elbow. Just avoid him. Damn, If I can take all that away from a fighter via training, no wonder I raised so much hell in my day!"
