By Scott Gilfoid: Undefeated #9 WBO middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr (18-0, 11 KOs) locked himself in for a title shot against #2 WBO Billy Joe Saunders by stopping journeyman Omar Siala (23-18-3, 10 KOs) by a 2nd round knockout on Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK.
Eubank Jr hurt Siala with a big right uppercut that drove him to the ropes. Eubank Jr then flurried on the over-matched Siala until the referee Alvin Finch halted the fight at 1:15 of the round. Siala was doing a good job of covering up and weathering the storm, but Finch obviously saw it as a situation where the guy was in distress. At the time of the stoppage, Siala’s faced was reddened by the numerous shots he’d eaten. He had a small cut under his left eye and nose was bleeding slightly.
There was a lot to like in Eubank Jr’s performance in the fight, as he showed good hand speed, nice combinations, excellent defense and decent power. His punching power is his weakness. Eubank Jr turned his back on Siala a number of times in the fight, and he also shouldered him more than a few times. Those are things that Eubank Jr is going to need to change in his game in the future if he wants to beat the better fighters.
Eubank Jr’s father Chris Eubank Sr was asked to leave the ring in between the 1st and 2nd rounds due to there being 2 people in the ring working in Eubank Jr’s corner. Eubank Sr stayed in the ring while the cornerman exited the ring and worked on Eubank Jr by sticking his upper body through the ropes. Eubank Sr didn’t do much other than stand and watch Eubank Jr. It looked like he was posing.
The fight was a tune-up for Eubank Jr, but he certainly could have faced someone a lot better than Siala if he wanted to get properly ready for the Saunders clash on November 29th.
Eubank Jr has the skills and power to beat Saunders next month. Saunders says he wants to retire if he loses that fight, and Eubank Jr is holding him at his word in expecting him to do just that if he beats him.
“The guy didn’t have to be in the ring with me tonight,” Eubank Jr said after the fight. “My opponent pulled out. I took the fight because I’m a fighter. I don’t respect or fear Saunders enough not to take the fight. Even if I got injured today, which I didn’t, I think I would have gone into the other fight and beaten him,” Eubank Jr said.
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Undefeated flyweight Kevin Satchell (13-0, 2 KOs) defeated European Boxing Union featerwheight champion Valery Yanchy (23-4-2, 7 KOs) by a 12 round majority decision. The final judges’ scores were 114-114, 117-112, and 116-112.
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Undefeated light welterweight Jack Catterall (10-0, 6 KOs) gave Thomas Stalker (9-1, 2 KOs) a beating in stopping him in the 8th round. Stalker was more of a punching bag than a competitive opponent in getting thrashed tonight. Stalker hit the deck in the 1st and 2nd rounds. In the 8th, Stalkers’ trainer tossed in the white towel to have the massacre stopped.
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Undefeated middleweight prospect Liam Williams (11-0, 6 KOs) defeated a badly over-matched Stepan Horvath (12-5, 4 KOs) by a 2nd round knockout.
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Other boxing action on tonight’s card:
Liam Smith TKO 3 Zoltan Sera
James Dickens TKO 2 George Gachechiladze
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