Eubank Jr vs Smith Odds: Preview, Predictions & Tips For The All-British Fight
Article By
Last Updated: 
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith Predictions:
- Chris Eubank Jr To Win By Decision - 11/10 With Bet365
- Chris Eubank Jr To Win In Rounds 7-12 - 9/2 With Ladbrokes
Chris Eubank Jr will aim to extend his winning streak to seven fights when he takes on Liam Smith at AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday night.
Betting sites make Eubank the odds-on favourite to win this all-British clash with Smith, a former WBO light-middleweight champion.
He was supposed to face Conor Benn towards the end of 2022 in an eagerly anticipated bout that would have reprised the rivalry between their fathers, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn.
However, the fight was called off after Benn failed two drugs tests, so a replacement bout with Smith was organised instead.
It promises to be an entertaining clash between two experienced, confident fighters who have engaged in a bitter war of words during increasingly heated press conferences.
Eubank Taunts Smith with 60% Jibe
Eubank warned that a drastic weight cut to fight Benn at a 157-pound catchweight would leave him under strength.
He has fought at middleweight and super middleweight throughout his career, whereas Benn has always fought at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, so they needed to meet half-way.
His father said that dropping so much weight would be dangerous, but Eubank Jr insisted he could still beat Benn at 60% of his usual all-action capacity.
When Smith was drafted in as a replacement, Eubank insisted he does not even need to be at 60% to beat the Liverpudlian fighter.
This will be a middleweight bout at 160 pounds, and Eubank believes he should have no trouble in sweeping his opponent aside.
“Sixty per cent is much too generous to give to Liam Smith,” he said. He’s below that and if he’s ready for it then he will receive it.”
This naturally sparked a furious reaction from Smith, “If he was at 60% for the fight that never happened against Conor Benn, then he has to be at 160% to be ready to take on me, a former world champion, in front of thousands of my fans up north,” he declared.
Smith Bids To Recapture Former Glories
Smith is one of four brothers that became professional boxers, along with Paul, Stephen and Callum, who is currently ranked the world’s best active light-heavyweight by BoxRec.
He was unbeaten in his first 21 fights, which earned him a shot at the vacant WBO light-middleweight title.
Smith beat John Thompson at the Manchester Arena in October 2015 to seize the belt courtesy of a seventh-round TKO.
He mounted successful title defences against John Thompson, Jimmy Kelly and Predrag Radosevic, which earned him the biggest fight of his career.
In September 2016, Smith locked horns with pound-for-pound great Canelo Alvarez in Arlington, Texas.
He gave a pretty good account of himself, but he was ultimately knocked out in the ninth round in his first professional defeat.
Smith bounced back with a win against Marian Cazacu, and he then rattled off consecutive victories over the highly-rated Liam Williams.
That earned him another WBO light-middleweight title shot, but he lost that fight to Jaime Munguia in Nevada back in July 2018.
Since then, he is 6-1 in his subsequent seven fights, with the sole defeat coming at the hands of Magomed Kurbanov in May 2021.
He is currently on a three-fight winning streak, with knockout wins against Anthony Fowler, Jessie Vargas and Hassan Mwakinyo.
That leaves him with a 32-3-1 record throughout his distinguished career, and he hopes that victory over Eubank will set him on a road to recapturing his former glories.
However, it will require him to step up to middleweight for the first time in his career, which could put him at a disadvantage and that’s why he is the underdog with the best online betting sites for boxing.
Both Fighters Have Strong Chins
Eubank has always fought at middleweight and super middleweight, so the conditions of this fight favour him.
He has a bigger frame than Smith, so he will have a height and weight advantage for this bout, which he will need to use to intelligent effect if he is to prevail.
Eubank is 32-2 in his career, with the only defeats coming against Billy Joe Saunders via a split decision in 2014 and George Groves courtesy of a unanimous decision in 2018.
He has never been knocked out, and he is expected to last the distance against Smith on Saturday night.
Whether Smith can ride out 12 rounds against Eubank is another matter entirely, but this fight is best priced at just 1/2 with Ladbrokes to go the distance.
Can Eubank Remain Calm and Collected?
Nine of Eubank’s 32 wins have come by decision, including recent victories over Liam Williams, Marcus Morrison and James DeGale.
Smith has only ever been knocked out once, and that was by the peerless Canelo more than six years ago, so it is easy to see why this bout is odds-on to go the distance.
He is a very tough opponent, but Eubank has displayed greater patience and intelligence since teaming up with trainer Roy Jones Jr.
If he sticks to the game plan, he should use his reach advantage to keep Smith at bay with the jab and secure a controlled points victory at odds of 11/10 with Bet365.
Yet it is worth noting that he knocked Williams down four times en route to a points victory last year.
Stay In The Loop With Free Bets, Insider Tips & More!
Live Betting. Sports Promos. Sent Weekly.
Updated by
Last Updated:
