Chris Eubank Jr. says he wouldn’t be rushed into a high-profile clash with Canelo Alvarez after turning down a September fight.
The Briton, who returns to action on a Riyadh Season bill in October, was offered the opportunity to face the Mexican superstar this weekend. Eubank Jr. spurned the chance after admitting a battle didn’t make sense after many months out of the ring.
Eubank last fought against Liam Smith in September 2023, avenging a defeat to the Liverpool man a few months earlier. The Brighton native wants to shake off the ring rust and gauge where he’s at before accepting the Canelo fight for Cinco de Mayo weekend of 2025.
“[I’m] Not [in] a bit of a rush, not off of a year layoff, “Eubank Jr told Sky Sports. “Not [in a rush] when the numbers he’s offering are not right because he thinks everyone can jump to his beat.
“The fight makes a lot more sense next year,” he added.
Canelo vs Eubank could happen in the spring or even September next year, depending on the options at the time. It’s no secret that Canelo is running out of opposition after struggling to land stern tests since his loss against Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
Edgar Berlanga got the nod this time around, but many expect Canelo to brush aside the hard-hitting Puerto Rican when they collide on Pay Per View at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
“A lot of people are not happy with this fight that he’s chosen. There’s only a certain pool of fighters that Canelo can now fight, which is why I’m not worried about this fight falling through in September. Because who else can he fight? There are only a few guys,” stated Eubank.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
