The highly-anticipated rematch between bitter middleweight rivals Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith and Chris Eubank Jr has a new date, with the two now set to collide in at the AO Arena, Manchester on Saturday, September 2nd.
Airing live and exclusively on Sky Sports Box Office, the SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? pay-per-view blockbuster event will bring the heated rivalry to a fiery conclusion, nine months after their first electrifying encounter.
Smith and Eubank Jr first fought in January, meeting in the middle of the ring for a frenetic firefight which lasted just one minute into the fourth round before Smith secured victory with a stunning pair of knockdowns.
Upset at the referee’s intervention and determined to avenge the defeat, Eubank Jr immediately activated the contracted rematch clause and went into a protracted training camp focused on handing a loss to Liverpool man Smith.
With a prior date having been postponed due to Smith suffering a minor injury in training camp, the simmering rivalry has reached new heights with each passing month and is set to reach boiling point on September 2nd.
"I'm glad that the date is set now and we can look forward to getting rid of this itch that needs scratching. I'm fully healed up now, injury-free, and I'm looking forward to finishing Chris Eubank Jr's career on September 2nd,” said Smith.
"No more excuses, no more postponements. Smith can’t run forever. September 2 is the day of my revenge,” said Eubank Jr.
Ben Shalom, BOXXER’s promoter and CEO, said, “The rivalry between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr has quickly become one of the most heated in British boxing. Their January fight was one of the most exciting encounters in BOXXER history. We’re expecting tickets to fly out for September 2nd at the AO Arena as fans rush to be ringside for what is guaranteed to be another unbelievable firefight.”
Kalle Sauerland, Global Head of Boxing at Wasserman Boxing, said: "Good things come to those who wait, and so the postponements will only make victory that bit sweeter for Chris, when he finally meets Liam Smith on September 2. Chris has had to remain patient and disciplined but what has been clear, in our conversations over the last few weeks and months, is that he is laser-focused on setting the record straight. Chris is going to deliver an electric performance."
