Chris Eubank’s son Chris Jr lost his unbeaten record as he lost a split decision to Billy Joe Saunders in London on Saturday night.
Eubank Jr and Saunders, both 25, went the distance in a nip-and-tuck bout at ExCel, with Saunders coming out a 115-114, 115-113 and 113-116 winner.
It was a 21st professional victory for Saunders, which saw him retain his British, European and Commonwealth middleweight titles.
Saunders got off to a good start, and while Eubank Jr came on strong in later rounds the champion did enough to win the bout.
“He had a good work-rate but it was a bit too slow in the early rounds,” said Saunders, who is now set to fight the winner of Ireland’s Andy Lee and Russia’s Matt Korobov, who meet next month for the vacant WBO title.
Saunders is already looking ahead to that bout, and suggested that he would be happy to fight Eubank Jr once again.
“I’m ready for a world title. And when I get the world title, I’ll give him the first shot.”
Eubank Jr, for whom this was a first defeat in 19 professional fights, pledged to come back strongly.
“It was a close fight. He did what I thought he would do,” he said.
“He boxed to plan in the early rounds but then I thought I overtook him. But I’ll be back.”
Eubank Jr has a lot to live up to if he his to fulfil that promise, however: before the bout he had been talked up by his famous father – a world champion for many years, and one of the most successful British boxers in history.
“The last person who had this ability was Sugar Ray Leonard,” said Eubank Sr.
“My son is the most dangerous young man I’ve ever come across in boxing, the most dangerous fighter on the planet.
“I was the benchmark, I was the beacon, I was the one everyone was measured against. And I can’t even measure him against me.
“I have never seen anything like him. The great British public has a great journey in front of them over the next 10 years.”