By Chris Williams: Roy Jones Jr. at 51-years-old is looking faster than his student Chris Eubank Jr. in them training together. The 30-year-old Eubank Jr. (29-2, 22 KOs) posted a video clip on social media on Monday showing him and the former four-division world champion Jones (66-9, 47 KOs) working out on a bag.
The difference hand speed between Jones and Eubank Jr. is vast. Jones, who looks like he’s carrying around some excess weight, is A LOT faster in terms of hand speed than Eubank Jr.
Jones is an exceptional talent, and Eubank Jr. can only hope that he can improve enough to do some of the things that he did. At 30, Eubank Jr. can’t afford to take his time. He’s in the prime of his career, and he’s got to learn fast if he wants to capture a world title. Though technically, Eubank Jr. is a world champion with the interim WBA 160-lb strap, it’s not the full belt.
Jones has the speed of a younger fighter
There’s nothing wrong with that. Eubank Jr. is lucky that he has a trainer with Jones’ speed, athleticism, and experience. A lot of fighters have trainers that can’t do the things that Jones is still capable of doing at 51.
The hand speed that Jones was blessed with is incredible. In Jones’ prime, he as so fast that he couldn’t be beaten. It was only later in Jones’ career that he started having problems when his reflexes began to deteriorate.
— NocautNet (@nocautnet) April 20, 2020
During Jones’ best years, he beat Bernard Hopkins, James Toney, Vinny Pazienza, and Thomas Tate. At 160, Jones was too fast and almost impossible to hit.
Eubank Jr. needs a lot of improvement
It’s too bad Eubank Jr. didn’t have Jones as his trainer to start with when he first turned professional in 2011. Most would agree that Eubank Jr. would be further along with his career than he is now. In Eubank’s loss to George Groves in 2018, his lack of boxing skills were exposed. Groves got the better of Eubank Jr using mostly his jab and an occasional overhand right.
Jones has got his work cut out for him to improve Eubank Jr. enough for him to beat the top guys at 160. Eubank Jr. wants to fight Canelo Alvarez, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Jermall Charlo.
If Eubank Jr. never captures a world title during his career, you won’t be able to blame it on him not having the proper training. You don’t get much better than Jones.
Eubank Jr. called out Gennady Golovkin recently, and he says he wants to challenge him for his IBF middleweight title. It’s possible that Eubank Jr. might get a crack at GGG in the future. Eubank Jr. would be a far better opponent for Golovkin than his current IBF mandatory Kamil Szeremeta, who he could be facing next.
Chris Eubank Jr. has a record of 29-2 with 22 KOs.