Chris Eubank Jr is considering other opponents now that talks for a potential fight with Conor Benn are over; Promoter Kalle Sauerland says: "The parties were not able to reach a commercial understanding and the negotiations have now ceased. The fight is dead in the water at this minute"
Friday 15 December 2023 14:36, UK
Chris Eubank Jr will not fight Conor Benn early in the new year.
The talks to stage that potential contest are currently "dead in the water," Eubank's promoter Kalle Sauerland told Sky Sports.
Speculation had been mounting that Eubank would box Conor Benn, the son of his father's great rival Nigel Benn, in February, although the British Boxing Board of Control had rejected an application to license that fight.
When Benn was originally meant to fight Eubank last year, it emerged that he had tested positive for a banned substance. Although his provisional suspension has been lifted, that decision is currently being appealed.
Eubank Jr, who took an impressive revenge win over Liam Smith in a high-profile rematch in September, will now look at other options.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Wasserman Boxing's Kalle Sauerland said: "I can confirm that the negotiations around a potential Eubank-Benn clash for early next year have finished. The parties were not able to reach a commercial understanding and the negotiations have now ceased and the fight is dead in the water at this minute."
Eubank is highly ranked with the WBO, whose middleweight championship is held by Janibek Alimkhanuly. Etinosa Oliha, who holds an IBO middleweight belt, is also under consideration as a potential opponent.
"I can also confirm that the IBO have ordered a mandatory challenge for Chris Eubank Jr and that's something we are currently in negotiations around but it's early days still," Sauerland said.
"Eubank is No 1 with the IBO and the WBO."
Josh Kelly is looking to be victorious this weekend when he fights Placido Ramirez in his Sunderland hometown on Saturday. That could set him up for big fights in 2024 and may make him a contender for a bout with Eubank Jr.
The two share a promoter in Sauerland.
"Obviously top of the world rankings, No 1 in the world Josh Kelly [with the] WBO, so it's logical that a world title fight will be mandated next year. Tim Tszyu obviously the champion there. [Kelly] is also IBF No 4 in the world which I believe is currently vacant. There's also a chance that that might get ordered next year," Sauerland told Sky Sports.
"Then you look at some of the big domestic clashes. Some of those might even take preference to a world title. Some of those names may not be boxing for too much longer.
"You look at Kell Brook returning, Eubank Jr, Conor Benn. Also who's making a name for himself on the domestic scene is of course Florian Marku, very interesting fight as well.
"So a very, very big 2024 for Josh Kelly with a lot of exciting options for some blockbuster fights."
It puts pressure on Kelly in this next fight against Ramirez. That expectation is all the more acute as Kelly is fighting in his hometown for the first time as a professional. He is making an impression with his return, this week ahead of the fight Kelly and Wasserman Boxing have pledged to support Sunderland Golden Gloves to keep the amateur boxing club open.
"For Josh this weekend is of course a big event in itself, a homecoming in Sunderland after more than 10 years away but it's also a very dangerous banana skin, a big Colombian banger who have a great history of causing upsets on this soil against big names. I'm thinking back to Amir Khan [who was first beaten by Briedis Prescott]," Sauerland said.
"So got to get that out the way this weekend, eyes on the prize, enjoy the homecoming after the fight and we roll on to next year."
Another Wasserman fighter looking for a big 2024 is Eubank Jr's cousin, Harlem Eubank.
Sauerland considers him "one of the shooting stars of British boxing".
"Those domestic fights are interesting [for Harlem]," Sauerland said.
"Obviously the name Conor Benn has also been thrown around. I know [Eubank] Senior is very much in favour of a fight like that. I also think Adam Azim, Dalton Smith, a couple of other names, I'd say with the greatest of respect to them, they're fantastic fighters but the name and the profile especially after his huge audiences on television would be with Eubank.
"So those are big fights that can be made, it's just the terms have got to be right.
"At the same time I think that a European challenge, even a potential world title elimination fight in 2024 is also a possibility."
