At the Olympia, London, Chris Eubank Jr did what was expected on ITV’s first voyage into PPV land. Eubank took care of business inside 10 rounds, forcing a stoppage to secure his first world title. The IBO Super Middleweight variety isn’t the hottest belt among boxing’s endless trophies, but it is what it is. Eubank can now call himself a world champion – for what it’s worth, in his first 168 lb encounter – and that’s that.
Eubank now improves to 24 wins, 1 defeat, 19 knockouts, while the fallen Aussie visitor reduces to 11 wins, 2 defeats, 7 knockouts.
Tonight’s fight wasn’t actually that awful, in all honesty. I maintain that Eubank Jr vs Quinlan was unworthy of a PPV markup, but Quinlan gave a bold account of himself nonetheless. The former champion had something to say in the first 5 stanzas, and did land some leather. Now, it hardly seemed like there was any danger of the IBO strap returning to Australia, but Quinlan had ambition at least.
With Eubank connecting more frequently – with meaty left hooks and full-blooded combinations – a knockout seemed more than likely. Quinlan’s energy and offense depleted in the second half, and so Eubank cranked up the pressure, finally pummeling his wounded, rope-bound foe until the third man intervened. It was a good call.
Where Eubank goes from here is unknown. Most fans would prefer him to move back down to Middleweight – the place he’s only campaigned at for every bout prior – where there’s a tremendous amount of unfinished business. Like, an untouched Top 10 which includes manglers Gennady Golovkin, David Lemieux and Daniel Jacobs. Mmm…why do I sense that a unification scrap with fellow Brit James DeGale will arrive long before a 160 return?
Eubank Jr vs Quinlan: Undercard
- Christian Hammer (21-4, 12 KO) recharged his sliding career with a solid, fan-friendly win over David Price (21-4, 18 KO). The fight itself was competitive, with both men swinging wildly in places, but also showcasing some decent skill sets for a couple of fringe-level (putting it generously) Heavyweights. Hammer, who tasted the canvas in the 5th from a crunching uppercut, managed to regroup and capitalize when it mattered. He dug his heels in, eventually bombarding an exhausted, unsteady Price until the referee made the call. So respect where it’s due. As for Price, a once-upon-a-time prospect with high hopes, a fourth career KO may have ended all dreams of capturing world honors.
- John Ryder (24-3, 12 KO) turned in a Unanimous Decision against an overmatched yet remarkably valiant Adam Etches (20-2, 17 KO). Ringside tallies came in at 117-111, 116-112 and 118-109 for Super Middleweight Ryder, whose sharp toolset and generalship was fairly awarded.
- Kid Galahad (22-0, 13 KO) breezed through Leonel Hernandez – a late stand-in for the advertised Joseph Agbeko – with Hernandez (10-19-2, 1 KO) calling it quits after 3 rounds. An eye injury seemed to prompt the retirement. Now that’s over, dare I say bigger tests await for Featherweight contender Galahad?
- Andrew Selby (8-0, 5 KO) picked up the 8th win of his professional career following a Unanimous Decision. Opponent Ardin Diale (32-11-4, 15 KO) proved to be a tricky customer, but landslide scores of 100-90 across the board were rather telling. Selby, a former Amateur standout, continues to climb the Flyweight ladder.
What’s your take on Eubank Jr vs Quinlan, plus the rest of the London card? Let us know below.
