Boxing

CHRIS EUBANK JR announced his British boxing return with a win – but failed to send a serious threat to the middleweight world champions.The 31-year-old Brighton man, with new trainer Roy Jones Jr in his corner for the first time, beat Manchester’s Marcus Morrison on points after two years away, with all three judges calling the ten rounder 98-92.
Marcus Morrison was beaten on points by Chris Eubank Jr
Chris Eubank Jr made his British boxing return in ManchesterCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
The second-generation fighter blew away 17 months of ring rust with some impressive flurries but failed to score the highlight-reel stoppage he admitted he needed to lure the likes of Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez into a bout.
And Eubank claimed he went the distance on purpose, saying: “I felt good, I boxed, I had him hurt bad in the second and probably could have ended it there.
“But I have been out almost two years so I wanted to get the feel of the ring back and get used to taking instruction from my new coach Roy Jones.
“He was a very tough kid and I have knocked guys out with some of those shots, so credit to his chin, his heart and his team.
“Usually I am a killer, if I see an opening I take it but I am here to learn and trying to get better.
“I could not learn anything with a second round knockout so I decided to keep him in there.”
The pair shared an anxious opener, Morrison did connect with a stiff jab that wobbled Eubank as he was off balance.
The favourite fired back with a one-two to make sure the judges had a hard job splitting them.

The start of the second round was so tame that Eubank Jr had a chat with a fan, telling a woman bellowing inside the Manchester arena that he was having fun after such a hiatus.
But in the final minute of the stanza he raced up the gears and fired off a volley of punches that seemed to stun Morrison but failed to drop him.
In the third Eubank Jr tried to leap in with a left hook but he missed by miles and got whacked around the ear by the local lad.
With his iconic father Chris Sr in the crowd, Eubank Jr tried to impress but he seemed caught between his old all-action approach and the new trainer Roy Jones Jr’s trademark style.
The fight finally caught fire in the fifth when Eubank Jr swapped posing for punching and loaded up with hooks and uppercuts.
But Morrison, whose three defeats have all come on the cards, was up for the fight and barrelled back shocks that bounced off the heavy pre-fight favourite.
Chris Eubank Jr claimed he went the distance on purposeCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
The pair shared an anxious openerCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Chris Eubank made his return after two years oitCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
It looked like Eubank Jr had it won in the sixth when Morrison went into his shell and was shellacked on the ropes.
Blood was smeared all over the 28-year-old’s face as Eubank pummelled him but he threw back enough times to stop the referee Michael Alexander from diving in.
Morrison recovered for the seventh, scored with a jab and pushed the pace in moments – but a late left hand shook him and undid his best efforts.
Round nine started with a terrific firefight, both men landed and both refused to fold but the round petered out in the silent Manchester arena.
And when the final bell came Eubank Jr called into the crowd to claim he needed a couple more months to get back to his best.
It looked like Eubank Jr had it won in the sixth when Morrison went into his shellCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Chris Eubank Jr had new trainer Roy Jones Jr in his corner for the first timeCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing More

BRAVE Brit Craig Richards took pound-for-pound powerhouse Dmitry Bivol the distance – but lost his world title shot on points.The Croydon ace, 31, took on the WBA light-heavy king as a huge underdog but stood toe-to-toe with the avoided Soviet right until the final bell.
Londoner Craig Richards took pound-for-pound powerhouse Dmitry Bivol the distanceCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Dmitry Bivol retained his world title on pointsCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Bivol landed in Manchester with a perfect 17-0 record and a violent reputation.
But the British champ sent him back to Russia with some bruises and a severe warning before the judges scored it: 118-110, 115-113 and 115-114.
Richards, nicknamed Spider, peppered the 30-year-old Russian’s guard with crisp jabs from the off.
But the terrifying champion, who arrived with 11 spiteful stoppages, launched a series of menacing left hooks that meant serious business.
In the second, Richards overloaded with right hand that Bivol ducked and he was lucky not to be punished as he stumbled.
A three-punch combination from the Kyrgyzstan-born powerhouse then scored but Richards showed a tough chin to go with his big heart.
In the third Richards landed a great right hand that knocked Bivol’s head back but he defended by going straight back on the attack, so the Englishman could not build on his shot
Bivol, in bullet-grey shorts and gloves, was shooting into Richards much more in the fourth, feinting the challenger into mistakes and punishing him.
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Bivol landed flush again in the fifth but Richards was not being overwhelmed by his supposedly seismic power.
And Richards was gears above survival mode, landing a straight right and launching a lead uppercut just as the bell ended the exciting session.
A seventh round jab from Bivol was excellent, snapping Richards’ head back without a single warning sign to help him evade it.
And when Richards ventured a jab of his own, he was clipped by a right hand over the top of it.
Craig Richards took on the WBA light-heavy king as a huge underdogCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Craig Richards sent Dmitry Bivol back to Russia with some bruises and a severe warningCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Craig Richards stood toe-to-toe with the avoided Soviet right until the final bell.Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Richards won his Lonsdale belt in December in sensational KO fashion and trainer Peter Sims was urging him to take a few risks before being handed a decision loss, after falling well behind.
And in the tenth he landed a right hand that had his corner cheering.
But Bivol tagged him heavily a couple of times in the last minute of the stanza.
Relentless Richards somehow had the energy to impress in the penultimate round and make the last competitive.
And the welts around Bivol’s eyes proved he did not coast to an 18th win and that Richards can come again at the top level.
Richards won his Lonsdale belt in December in sensational KO fashionCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Bivol tagged him heavily a couple of times in the last minute of the stanzaCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Bivol’s eyes proved he did not coast to an 18th win and that Richards can come again at the top level.Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing More

CHRIS EUBANK JR has revealed how Roy Jones Jr reformed his style and warned: ‘It’s not about going to war every time anymore’. Eubank last year linked up with the American all-time great and later announced Jones as his coach.
Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr pictured with Chris Eubank JrCredit: chriseubankjr.com
Working alongside one of boxing’s most technically gifted operators has rubbed off on the middleweight contender.
And now fighting at his more natural weight, opposed to super-middle, Eubank opened up on perfecting the sweet science rather than all-out aggression.
He told Sky Sports: “Mentally is the biggest part. Physically? I’m 31, I won’t be a changed fighter, my style is what it is.
“There are things he has tweaked or made me focus on, but the main change is how I mentally approach these fights.
“The tactics, the thought process, the mind-set that I have now is different. Being with him will add years to my career.
“It’s not about going to war every time anymore. It’s about being smart and not getting hit. Some of those things I had lost focus on.
“I put that down to moving up to super-middleweight – knowing I was against guys who were naturally bigger, I got it into my head that I had to hurt them early so they didn’t bully me. I lost sight of the boxing.
“At middleweight nobody will bully me, nobody is bigger than me, so I can focus on the art and craft rather than the war aspect.

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“I will still go to war – when there is an opportunity, these guys will get taken out. But there are new aspects to my game.”
Eubank has super-fights with the likes of Canelo Alvarez, 30, and Gennady Golovkin, 39, in his sights.
But first he returns against Marcus Morrison on May 1, with Derek Chisora and Joseph Parker headlining.
Eubank’s scored a career-best win against James DeGale in February 2019 and that December had only two rounds against Matt Korobov, before the Russian pulled out injured.
He said: “Ring-rust is a factor and Morrison is the perfect opponent. He is solid and he can punch so I can’t let my guard down.
“He has shown heart, he can punch. He’s not somebody to take lightly. So I’ve trained hard, like I would for any fight, and I will be at 100 per cent on the night.
Chris Eubank Jr has not fought since beating Matt Korobov in December 2019Credit: Getty – Contributor
“This is a fight to get me back in the mix. I’ve been out of the ring, really, for two years which has been tough.
“What can you do? The answer was to go away and learn, to improve, and to not stagnate like a lot of fighters have done.
“I have trained in Florida with Roy Jones Jr for a year-and-a-half and, although I haven’t been in the ring, I have improved.
“I’ve got at least another solid four or five years left. This was the perfect time to get new blood, a new set of eyes and ears, and new training methods into my camp.
“I have listened to them and learned from them, and it has paid dividends. You will see the fruits of my labour.”
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