Chris Eubank Jr is yet to announce his next opponent following his win against Liam Smith; WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly is eager to face the British contender, while Eubank Jr has recently called out Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez
Wednesday 4 October 2023 10:26, UK
Chris Eubank Jr could land a world title fight against Janibek Alimkhanuly but Top Rank president Todd DuBoef has questioned whether the British contender is 'dodging' the fearsome WBO champion.
Eubank Jr is assessing his options after gaining revenge over Liam Smith with a dominant stoppage win in last month's rematch in Manchester.
But it remains to be seen whether the 34-year-old will target a title-holder or another domestic rival after rejuvenating his caerer.
"I want to do whatever the fans want to see," said Eubank Jr.
"There's some huge names out there, there's some big opportunities. World titles, big fights, it's all on the table."
Victory established Eubank Jr as the no 1 contender for Alimkhanuly, who has held the WBO middleweight title since August 2022, and the big-hitting Kazakh has welcomed the prospect a fight.
He wrote on social media: "Now Chris Eubank is number one in the WBO ranking.
"I'll knock him out in the first round with my eyes closed! He knows it. If he agrees to fight me, this fight will have to happen in Vegas!"
Alimkhanuly's promotional team, Top Rank, are keen to stage the bout, but DuBoef is unsure whether Eubank Jr would accept the offer of a world title shot.
"I think you're touching on something - the answer is yes, without a doubt," said DuBoef, when asked about the fight.
"But it takes two to make a fight, and for some reason, no one will actually go to the participant.
"The participant is overtly omitting, dodging or moving away from the opponent - his team could want it, his mother could want it - but if the athlete doesn't want the fight, it's not going to happen.
"It takes two people to make a fight, and years ago, there was a different model.
"We've morphed into a model where we're trying to bring the highest quality and best fights to our platform, and we think the whole industry rises, and everyone can go surfing in a big wave rather than in a little pond."
Eubank Jr's camp declined the opportunity to respond to these claims.
The unbeaten Alimkhanuly returns to action in a unification fight against IBF champion Vincenzo Gualtieri on October 15, live on Sky Sports.
While Alimkhanuly vs Eubank Jr looks unlikely, the British boxer issued his own challenge on social media to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez after the Mexican star sealed a unanimous decision win over Jermell Charlo at the weekend.
"Canelo needs to fight someone who actually wants to win, not just survive, secure a payday and give him a sweet lil hug after," said Eubank Jr on X (formerly Twitter).
"This is getting embarrassing .
"I don't want a hug… I want that scalp!"
Eubank Jr has also been targeted by Conor Benn, who had his first fight in 18 months in September, securing a points win over Rodolfo Orozco in Orlando.
Benn had been absent from the sport since April last year after testing positive for a banned substance ahead of a planned bout with Eubank Jr in October 2022.
The British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has lodged an appeal against a decision by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel to lift Benn's provisional suspension from boxing, but he resumed his career in America.
Eubank Jr posted sleeping emojis in response to Benn's victory and suggested that his rival would be "in trouble", but it remains to be seen whether that fight can go ahead in the near future.
Watch Janibek Alimkhanuly vs Vincenzo Gualtieri on October 15, live on Sky Sports.
