Chris Eubank Sr names Canelo as Eubank Jr’s ‘saving grace’ amid brutal Conor Benn verdict

Chris Eubank Jr must fight undisputed super-middleweight world champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in his next fight to ‘redeem any type of respect from the fighting public’.

That is is the damning verdict of his father Chris Eubank Sr, who insists he won’t allow his son to fight at middleweight (160lbs) again.

Eubank Jr avenged a shock stoppage loss to Liam Smith Jr by stopping the former light-middleweight world champion in September.

The 34-year-old is highly ranked at middleweight with both the WBO and WBC meaning he is in line for a shot at their respective world champions Janibek Alimkhanuly and Jermall Charlo.

Talk of a fight with Conor Benn also won’t go away but Eubank Sr insists his son’s future lies at super-middleweight (168lbs) and believes a fight with Canelo will be the only way for Eubank Jr, who is yet to win a world title with the four recognised governing bodies, to secure his legacy.

“That fight [Eubank Jr vs Benn], I mean they’re still talking about it,” Eubank Sr said on talkSPORT. “But it doesn’t make sense how they would put so much energy into producing another fight, knowing that I said it’s not going to happen.

“And the reason it’s not going to happen – my son is now walking around at 13st 5lbs, that’s 187lbs. So for him to lose 27lbs to get down to middleweight, this is a man’s life, he will never get down to that weight again, ever.

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“Let’s get to the point, Canelo is the only person he’s going to be able to fight now to redeem any type of respect from the fighting public.

“Real fighters, real boxing people. I know how you win respect, it’s not beating a Liam Smith. Junior this is what my view is – your saving grace is going to be Canelo.

“You’re never going to get back down to 160lbs, I won’t allow that to happen anyway. You’re a 168lbs fighter, Canelo is your way to win respect and you cannot beat him, not Canelo.

“The only way you can beat him is if daddy is next to you. That’s it. Period.”

Eubank Sr’s brutal Conor Benn verdict

Eubank Sr also criticised Benn calling out welterweight world champion Terence Crawford and feels he would be better suited fighting his nephew, Harlem Eubank.

“He’s talking about the top fighters in the world, talking about Terence Crawford,” Eubank Sr added. “How are you talking like that? What have you done?

“Whoever wins Conor Benn vs Harlem Eubank goes and conquers the world. He’s not doing anything, he’s in no-man’s land. And now he’s fighting a guy called Peter Dobson, who is this guy?

“Back in the day they used a term – ‘They dug him up and he’s still warm’ – that’s the type of fighter he’s fighting.”