Chris Eubank Jr: I'm willing to die in pursuit of victory against George Groves

Chris Eubank Jr was a baby, only a few months old, when his father famously dismissed boxing as a “barbaric” example of a “mug’s game”.

Now, 28 years on, Eubank Jr has declared himself “willing to die” in pursuit of victory ahead of his highly anticipated clash with WBA super-middleweight champion George Groves.

The pair collide at the Manchester Arena in the semi-final of the brilliant World Boxing Super Series tonight, finally drawing a line beneath months of talking between two of British boxing’s most quotable figures.

But, with the first bell fast approaching, Junior sailed dangerously close to the wind when discussing the lengths he is prepared to go in order to emerge from Saturday’s all-British grudge fight victorious.

“I don’t feel he’s in it,” said Eubank, in assessment of Groves’ desire. “I don’t feel he’s there mentally and prepared to put everything on the line like I am. When I get into that ring, it might sound cliché or a bit too dramatic, but I’m willing to die in that ring to win. He’s not.

“I’m willing to do anything I can to win that fight within the rules of boxing. I will not give up, I will not stop. I won’t crumble.”

Eubank is not the first boxer to broach the subject of being beaten to death, nor will he be the last. However, this was not just pre-fight bravado. The 28-year-old from Brighton was simply telling the truth.

His quotes, however, seem to carry more poignancy given his fighting history, that of his father and indeed Groves. All three of them have felt first hand what it’s like to disable another man by way of their fists.

Eubank said what happened to Nick Blackwell, who was put into a medically induced coma after their brutal fight in March 2016, has galvanised him further because he is now acutely aware of the danger he is in whenever he steps between the ropes.

Groves, meanwhile, says what happened to his former opponent Eduard Gutknecht, who can no longer walk or talk as a result of his defeat to the Londoner in 2016, has affected his so called ‘killer’ instinct.

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But Eubank said: “I’m not going to say he doesn’t have that killer instinct anymore.

“If he sees an opening with me he will take it, no questions asked. There will be nothing in his mind about what has happened in the past. I don’t believe it has changed him as a fighter.

“But when I looked into his eyes I felt weakness and regret. He’s there to be beaten. He’s there to be dominated.”

While Eubank openly admits Groves will represent a tougher fight than any of his 27 contests to date, the defending champion says Saturday’s clash will not even make his top five.

Groves believes his victories over James DeGale and Fedor Chudinov alongside the defeat to Badou Jack and his pair of stoppage losses to Carl Froch were all much harder work than Brighton’s finest.

“I’m not Badou Jack, DeGale, Chudinov or Carl Froch,” Eubank hit back. “He knows what I am and what I bring on the night.

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“He knows he won’t have an answer for it and if he does, it will be too short. That’s why he is showing mental signs of weakness and unconfidence.

“He says this is not his hardest fight. Well either he genuinely believes that and he’s underestimating me, which is a fatal error, or he’s fraudulent and a liar who is lying to people and himself.

“If you’re not truthful in this game, about your capabilities and your opponent, then you can’t be a world champion who continues to win. This is the truest sport on the planet.”

Eubank’s famous father, the former two-weight world champion, knows all about British grudge matches having beaten Michael Watson twice and Nigel Benn.

Benn admitted that he truly hated Eubank in the build-up to their fractious 1990 showdown and took umbrage with Eubank’s ‘mug’s game’ comment. When asked if Eubank hated Benn, he replied: “I don’t hate the man, I just want to take the man’s title.”

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There were echoes of that sentiment when Eubank Jr was asked whether the verbal sparring with Groves had led to any hatred on his part.

“I’m not going to say I hate him because I don’t,” Eubank Jr said. “He’s just a guy with a belt.”

He added: “I’ve wanted to fight him for years and the public want to see it. It doesn’t mean I hate him, he’s just in an unfortunate position of standing in my path.”

Groves has, quite literally, been here before. However, he was on the other side of the fence in 2013 when he arrived at the Manchester Arena as the upstart challenger to the established super-middleweight champion in Froch.

Groves dropped Froch in the first round that night, but was controversially stopped in the ninth round when referee Howard Foster infamously jumped in to end the fight.

This is the ‘Saint’s’ first fight in Manchester since.

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“Howard Foster has reffed one of my fights since and I have no quarrel with him,” Groves smiled.

“I’ve had good nights in Manchester. Only inside the ring though, even in my youth we never went out much afterwards. Manchester is a good place, a fighting city. I love the arena, the changing rooms, it’s a good place to box.

“I’m relishing the fight. I believe I will be able to fight within my comfort zone. Eubank has to take himself out of his comfort zone to have success and certainly will have to every time he steps up.

“He’s trying to put himself in the hurt locker by throwing more punches, if he gets hurt, getting up because he wants it more than me. He thinks wanting it more will be enough.

“I won’t struggle to find a home for my shots and he will have to walk through fire to land his.”