Thursday 22 October 2015 10:22, UK
Chris Eubank Jr has hit back at Gary 'Spike' O'Sullivan by questioning whether the Irishman truly wants to fight him.
The WBA interim middleweight champion makes his Sky Sports bow on Saturday when he faces America's Tony Jeter, but has already secured a clash with O'Sullivan (22-1-KO15), scheduled for December 12.
O'Sullivan lashed out at Eubank Jr on Tuesday - dubbing the Brighton fighter "arrogant" - and the animosity between the pair is set to reach a crescendo with Eubank Jr (19-1-KO14) mounting his own verbal assaults.
Eubank Jr, 26, told Sky Sports: "Spike O'Sullivan has a very good record and a very big mouth. The fight will happen on December 12 and he's going to get everything that he's been asking for over the last two or three years.
"He's been stalking me online so he gets to put his money where his mouth is on December 12. That's the fight the public want to see this year. He's been talking a lot of smack over the last few years and now he's got his chance to back up the talk.
"Power isn't enough to beat me. You'll need a hell of a lot more than power to even come close to beating me.
"Personally, I think he's kind of talked his way in to the fight and doesn't really want to be there. We'll find out on the night but when he's in there and feels the type of fire I'm bringing, he's not going to want to know.
I think it'll be one of those classic fights because it's a grudge match. There's no love lost and that's what the public want to see - fighters with some type of emotion.
"I think it'll be one of those classic fights because it's a grudge match. There's no love lost and that's what the public want to see - fighters with some type of emotion. There's no 'good luck mate' - we really want to beat each other. May the best man win."
Both Eubank Jr and O'Sullivan suffered their only career defeats to Billy Joe Saunders, who challenges Andy Lee for the WBO world title on December 19.
Reflecting on his November points defeat to Saunders, Eubank Jr said: "It was a learning fight. It was my first 12-rounder. Previously, I'd only ever gone eight rounds. Mentally it had me relaxed in the earlier rounds - I paced myself too much in the early rounds.
"Once I realised I was completely at home and comfortable, I put the pressure on and it was no contest. I dominated the fight after five or six rounds.
"Do I agree with the decision? No. But it doesn't matter. He got the win. It was a great fight. I think it was voted one of the best middleweight fights that year and the public want to see the rematch. Hopefully we can get it on in early 2016.
"Andy Lee has a middleweight title at the moment and I'd love to challenge for it. That puts [trainer] Adam Booth in a bit of a dilemma but at the end of the day, I'm a fighter, he's a fighter, so if it makes sense, I'm sure we can get it on in the future."
