Harlem Eubank will bring big time boxing back to Brighton on November 10th when he boxes Timo Schwarzkopf.
It is more than 30 years since Eubank’s uncle, Chris Eubank Snr, defended his world title in the city and the unbeaten super lightweight has marked the occasion by adding the former two weight world champion to his team as an advisor.
“It’s family. There’s always been a bond and a relationship and I’ll just be bringing him by my side as I charge and spearhead this next stage of my career.
“Experience,” Eubank told Boxing News when asked what his uncle will add. “That’s the key. He’s been in there with the best. He’s been there, seen it, done it and felt it first hand. It’s too numerous to mention. My uncle is the king of this game. That’s what I’m walking into the fire with.
“Keep your eyes peeled. I’m going to bring some explosive performances. You will be entertained.”
“I’ve always been giving him advice, now it’s official,” Eubank Snr added. “The officialness of it will do a great deal for letting people know what’s what.
“My vocation is to make sure that I back everything up that he just said”
Eubank (18-0, 7 KO’s) has improved at an impressive rate of knots over the past couple of years, beating respected names like Viorel Simion and Tom Farrell and moving steadily through the British super lightweight rankings.
The WBO Global belt will be on the line when he boxes Schwarzkopf (22-5, 13 KO’s) and Eubank will then survey his options. Britain has a deep 140lb division. Jack Catterall and Ohara Davies lead the way with British champion, Dalton Smith, and European title challenger, Adam Azim, heading up a strong domestic scene. There are plenty of targets to aim for but 29 year old Eubank is keen to get involved in big fights quickly and if that means moving up to the welterweight division, he would be more than happy to do so.
“I will make the weight absolutely fine next week and overcome Schwarzkopf which is a solid opponent on the world stage. He’s well known and he’s picked up some great wins and I’m ready to put in a career best performance in my home city. Beyond that, I like the look of 147lbs.”
Conveniently – and you can guess where this is going – there is one particularly high profile British fighter currently campaigning at welterweight; Conor Benn.
At the moment, the fight would appeal much, much more to Eubank than Benn – who has plenty on his plate with another member of the Eubank family – but adding another strand to the complicated Eubank-Benn web is a smart move that will generate plenty of attention ahead of the fight with Schwarzkopf, which headlines a Channel 5 show next Saturday.
“There’s a lot of fighters at 147lbs that interest me and if Conor wants it – which I don’t believe he will – then that’s the credible fight to make if he’s competing at 147lbs,” said Eubank. “Judging by his last performance at 154lbs, [a hard fought decision over Rodolfo Orozco in September] I think he needs to go straight back down.”
Eubank Snr was always vocal in his uneasiness at his son, Chris, fighting Benn at a catchweight of 157lbs last year. The twelve months since the fight was cancelled at the last moment after Benn tested positive for the banned substance, Clomifene, have been filled with rancour, backbiting and legal battles but the fight seems almost certain to take place in the first quarter of 2024.
Eubank Snr wasted absolutely no time in stating why he believes Harlem – and not Chris – is the best future opponent for Benn.
“Conor Benn, this is the fight for you. He’s 147lbs. You’re not 154lbs, you’re certainly not 160lbs,” Eubank Snr said.
“You’re a great fighter. I think he’s a great fighter. Certainly a greater boxer.
“This bad blood you’re supposed to have with my son. There’s no bad blood there, he’s only interested in money.
“He [Harlem] is interested in actually being number one. Where you should be heading is where he’s heading, which is to the United States. And you beat those guys. But you clear up here first. Europe. To do that you’ve got to get past him. And, you know, it’s not bad blood although he doesn’t feel too good about the fact that you would have gone in there – irrespective of what I asked you not to do – which is to actually fight my son at 157lbs. There’s a little bit of hurt there. It’s his cousin. So now there’s something to fight about and that’s a fight. Not a guy who is 34 years old.”