Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr 2 – Results & Post-Fight Report

Chris Eubank Jr comprehensively gained revenge against Liam Smith at the Manchester Arena, taking a tenth round stoppage win in their middleweight rematch.

The pair had met originally in January, where Smith stunned Eubank Jr with a brutal fourth round stoppage win, but Eubank activated his rematch clause, using a multitude of reasons as to why the first contest didn’t go his way. The Brightonian was also under the guidance of Brian ‘Bo Mac’ McIntyre for the first time for the rematch, and he won in some style here.

It was a tight and tense opening round, with plenty of holding, and Eubank (33-3, KO24) worked well off his jab in the second in what was a much more organised and measured start from him. Eubank was going through his gears, with Smith (33-4-1, KO20) happy to remain watchful, but Eubank jumped over ‘Beefy’ at the start of the fourth, timing Smith coming in with a massive uppercut to score a knockdown. Smith beat the count with the aid of his gumshield coming out, but he was second to the punch, and just couldn’t get going in round five as Eubank swarmed all over him once more with a volley of punches.

That volley cost Eubank energy, and it was a quieter sixth frame, before he asserted his dominance once more in round seven, and it looked like an early roll of Smith’s ankle was hampering him in gaining any momentum in the contest. Eubank went through his repertoire in a ninth round that he bossed, and he unloaded once more in the tenth, forcing Smith to the canvas once more. Smith beat the count, but was pinned on the ropes again on the resumption, and a short burst forced the referee’s hand in stopping the fight.

Highly-touted prospect Adam Azim (9-0, KO6) was elevated to chief support status, and he turned in a disciplined performance to retain his WBA Continental super lightweight title with a wide points win against the game Ukrainian, Aram Faniian (23-2, KO5). Azim had to be patient, and stepped on the gas in the second half of the contest to pull away on the cards, that read 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 in his favour after ten rounds.

Frazer Clarke (8-0, KO6) continued the unbeaten start to his professional career, as he forced David Allen (21-6-1, KO18) to retire from battle at the end of the sixth round of their heavyweight meeting. Clarke was content to keep Allen at range, and pretty much did as he pleased, although he was docked two points in round six for persistent low blows, and he was running the risk of disqualification as more rained in. That possibility was ruled redundant at the end of the round, as Allen’s corner retired their man due to what looked like damage to the jaw of the Yorkshireman.

Mikaela Mayer (19-1, KO5) moved closer to a showdown with unified super welterweight world champion Natasha Jonas, but was tested on her super lightweight debut against Silvia Bortot (11-3-1, KO3), before coming through a landslide points winner. The American took the win on the referee’s card by a score of 100-90.

Jack Cullen (22-4-1, KO10) became the new British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion in spectacular style, as he dethroned Mark Heffron (29-3-1, KO23) in a third round knockout win. Cullen landed with a punishing combination that scrambled the senses of Heffron, and the champion was down hard, and unable to regain his footing before the count was completed.

Florian Marku (13-0-1, KO8) took less than a minute to win his welterweight grudge match against Dylan Moran (18-2, KO8). The Albanian landed with a right hand that Moran just couldn’t recover from, and a follow-up blitz forced the referee’s intervention.

Olympic Champion Lauren Price (5-0, KO1) was the show opener, and the Welshwoman dominated against Lolita Muzeya (18-2, KO10) in their welterweight contest set for eight. Price dropped Muzeya in the fifth, and after a clash of heads in the same frame, the bout was halted a round later, and Price took the technical decision by a score of 60-53.

Frankie Stringer (6-0, KO0) continued his education, and took all six rounds at lightweight against Engel Gomez (8-16-1, KO4).