Chris Eubank Jr to take on Irish fighter on huge WBSS final card
Chris Eubank Jr [26(20)-2(0)] will fight in the chief support bout of the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight grand final at the end of this month and he will face an Irishman.
George Groves, who beat Eubank in the semi-finals, defends his WBA title in the decider versus Callum Smith at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday September 28th.
It has been confirmed this afternoon that headline-grabbing English star Eubank will face Mullingar’s JJ McDonagh [16(8)-4(1)] in the chief support bout in the Gulf state.
The ten-round fight will be shown live as part of the ITV Box Office broadcast.
28-year-old Eubank, who is an alternate for the main event fighters, has sparred with southpaw McDonagh in the past and the pair will be quite familiar with each other going into the clash.
The fight will be Eubank’s first since being widely outpointed by Groves back in February and it will be Irish super middleweight champion McDonagh’s first since being defeated by Roy Sheahan in the semi-finals of Ireland’s Last Man Standing the following month.
Assassin Boxing’s McDonagh made a huge splash back in November 2016 when he sensationally stopped Matchroom starlet Jake Ball in the very first round. The Westmeath man’s ring activity has been sparse since, with a move to middleweight being mooted but injuries stunting his progress.
The 32-year-old will be the second Irishman to take a crack at Eubank following Spike O’Sullivan’s efforts back in 2015 where he was pulled out after seven rounds.
“I have been training hard in Vegas, and I am looking be a part of the event in Jeddah,” said Eubank Jr. “I am preparing for any scenario that may present itself.”
Naturally, McDonagh’s appearance on the October 6th ‘Rise Again’ card in Dublin at the National Basketball Arena has been cancelled.
