14 September 2023 , 14:02
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Chris Eubank Jr has criticised Billy Joe Saunders, Daniel Dubois and Dave Allen for taking the "easy way out" in past fights.
The son-of-a-legend put on arguably the best performance of his career earlier this month by avenging his defeat to Liam Smith in Manchester. Eubank Jr was knocked out by Smith in a shocking upset at the beginning of the year but he won every round of the rematch before the fight was stopped in the 10th round.
Eubank Jr praised Smith for going out on his shield after the fight, a quality that he thinks doesn't exist in many British fighters today. "His team didn't throw in the towel even though he was losing every round, he stayed in there and took his beating like a man. A lot of fighters these days, they aren't willing to do that. If the fight isn't going their way, they're done. Get me out of here coach " Eubank Jr told iFL TV.
"Saunders did it. Dubois did it. A lot of fighters have done it. A guy did it on the same night on the undercard. The White Rhino [Allen] quit on his stool. People get upset, 'Oh you shouldn’t say that.’ Listen, I’m a fighter, I can say what I want. I do it, get in there and I fight and I don’t stop. I take a shot. I get up. I’m buzzed and I keep walking forward. Let me keep going, because I’ve done that I can talk on other guys.
"The mentality I had, the mentality Liam had, that’s what true fighters should have. We owe it to the fans to give everything we've got and more importantly than that, you owe it to yourself. When you're old watching the replay of fight, you've got to watch yourself not wanting to be there. You've got to live with that until you die."
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Eubank Jr's bitter rival Saunders retired on his stool against Canelo Alvarez two years ago in their super-middleweight world title fight whilst Dubois took a knee and was stopped by Oleksandr Usyk last month. Allen retired in his corner against Frazer Clarke just hours before Eubank Jr beat Smith.
In a chat with Mirror Fighting before his recent win, Eubank Jr explained that part of his decision to not quit in his fights is because of how much he is paid. "Some fighters need a safety net, some fighters need to be saved. I'm not that fighter. I've been through too much and done too much, if I can't go on and you guys will see it. I don't need a referee or a towel to be thrown in, I'm getting paid too much to take the easy way out if the going gets tough," he said.