Chris Eubank Jr lacks the boxing brain to apply his undoubted talent after George Groves defeat

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  • A bloodied-up Chris Eubank Jr

    Chris Eubank Jr has everything and nothing – a supreme athlete packaged up as a frustrating boxer.

    What the 28-year-old possesses in raw athleticism, he negates entirely by lacking the boxing brain or strategy to apply his undoubted talent.

    He has all the tools. Granite chin? Check. Blurring speed? For sure. Great engine? Absolutely.

    Eubank should be a great boxer, not just a good one and yet whenever he steps up to the elite-level bracket, the result is the same – a vexatious failure.

    Against George Groves in the World Boxing Super Series semi-final in Manchester on Saturday, Eubank was all trigger and no bullet as he fell to a convincing unanimous decision defeat.

    Granted, Groves deserves tremendous credit for a virtuoso performance in defending his WBA super-middleweight strap.

    It was arguably the 29-year-old’s most impressive display to date, his world-class jab and ring generalship outfoxing his former sparring partner. He anticipated every wild shot, so easy they were to read, Eubank may as well have sent his playbook the night before.

    But Eubank, wasn’t outfought, far from it, he was simply out-thought. His shot selection was extremely finite as he loaded up on left-hooks and uppercuts and while Eubank’s head movement is excellent, it’s cancelled out by his awkward footwork which repeatedly left him off balance.

    George Groves celebrates with his trainer Shane McGuigan

    George Groves celebrates with his trainer Shane McGuigan

    What he did well hardly penetrated his Brit rival’s defence and the power offered in return tested his fortitude with potential knockdowns missed by the referee in rounds two and 10.

    Perhaps he is in the wrong weight class with Groves reportedly rehydrating to almost a stone heavier than Eubank.

    But even if he does journey back down to middle, he should regardless consider finding the right trainer because the current set-up is as bizarre as it is ineffectual.

    While he works under the watchful gaze of his father, Chris Sr, and Ronnie Davies, Eubank Jr is the man in charge, governed by his own ego.

    The lack of direction is translating to the canvas and the only hope now is his skill won’t be wasted. Indeed, it’s a now-or-never situation to change either his mindset or coaching set-up and although he took the defeat like a man, at 28 and in his prime, it’s about time he grew up.

    “He didn’t perform,” Eubank’s father said. “He’s a lot better than what you saw. He was just loading up, that’s the cold hard truth of it. He’s a good fighter but he didn’t show it.”

    Eubank pointed to a gaping cut suffered from an accidental headbutt in the early rounds as reasoning for his wild night as he revealed:  “I couldn’t see out of my right eye for pretty much most of the fight.

    “That affected my style. I had to resort to loading up because every time he would move to my right I couldn’t see him. I would just throw big punches.”

    Fighting blind doesn’t necessarily account for fighting stupid, but his bravery can not be denied. The same can be said of Groves who was immobilised in the final session after reportedly dislocating his shoulder.

    “I haven’t diagnosed it yet but it feels pretty sore,” Groves said in the ring afterwards.

    “I wasn’t going to let anything beat me. I’ve boxed on with cuts, broken jaws, everything. Here, I wasn’t going to let any injury get me out. It was about who wanted it most I think and I obviously wanted it most.”

    Groves, providing his injury doesn’t prevent him, will face either Callum Smith or Jurgen Brahmer in June’s final. Eubank on the other hand, is out of the tournament, has lost his IBO title and for a fighter who had everything in his grasp, now has nothing.

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