Stephen Smith reveals Liam carried an injury into Eubank rematch
Stephen Smith provided Betway with an update on Liam Smith’s future.
‘Swifty’ reflected on brother Liam Smith’s performance and says it was ‘contractual’ reasons that forced him go into the fight injured, and reveals 'Beefy' remains open to Eubank Jr trilogy.
How have you reflected on Liam Smith’s performance against Chris Eubank Jr – and did he consider pulling out?
SS: He had no right fighting that night. Everyone saw him, he was in no position to fight after seeing what he did to Eubank first time around in good shape after a good camp and then going into this one he pulled out of the fight before with a back injury and we knew his weight had gone up after he wasn’t walking for three weeks. We knew he was going to nowhere near to being ready for September 2nd but Liam being Liam, he was stubborn and wanted to give everything he had, and not let people down and not make the date.
He also had contractual issues that were being pushed from other people and it’s one of those things, you either make the date or you don’t and have to deal with the consequences. Obviously in hindsight it’s easy looking back and saying ‘I wish I didn’t’ but he did everything he could and I’m proud of him for getting to the weight he did really well in terms of making the weight. He’s very stubborn but he also worked really hard, and I saw what he went through to get there. In the long run looking back, he’ll wish he didn’t, but it was a case of make the date or deal with the consequences. And he did it but we saw what was left of him in there and his only chance was landing early and he didn’t do it so he lost the fight and I don’t think he’s ever going to watch the fight back, I don’t think I was but it wasn’t Liam in there. But he’s got to deal with it and move forward and come back better.
How is Liam right now?
SS: He’s okay, he was hurt a bit, his pride was hurt as it is after a loss anyway but more so because of the performance. We are used to Liam being in good tear ups, blood and gut battles, and he always shows his class in terms of his fighting, but that night was anything but. His punching output was awful because he didn’t have it in the tank. He was saying after the fight, he just couldn’t do it, it wasn’t there and that was hard to listen to being his elder brother, but he’s got to learn from this experience now and come back better and show people he’s a much better fighter than that.
What’s Liam Smith’s next move – Eubank trilogy?
SS: He’s going to recover, let his ankle heal and get back to being 100% fit first and foremost and once he is 100%, he can go into a camp and plan what’s next. I see it as 1-1 as well and would like to Liam at his best and am confident he beats Eubank at his best like the first time round but it’s going to be tough ask to get that fight now because they’re all desperate to make the Conor Benn fight in Abu Dhabi or wherever they’re going to do but it’s still there afterwards and if he beats Conor Benn, then it’s an option on the table but the ball is in their court in what they want to do next.
Is Liam going to campaign at middleweight and could Golovkin be an option?
SS: Yeah definitely, I think his next fight will be at middleweight and once he’s 100%, whatever the best option out there for him he’ll jump at. He’s not at the stage of his career to have any warm-up fights, he wants big fights or nothing. He’s 35 now and a former world champion, he’s not interested in domestic level no disrespect to anyone there, but he’s been there and done all that. His ambitions are either at the top or move.
What are your thoughts on Eubank vs Benn?
SS: I don’t care, don’t really want to go into it. It’s embarrassing really, people go on about drugs tests – ‘did he fail, or didn’t he fail’? It should be black and white, and people should be able to know what’s gone on and what’s happened. It doesn’t look good really, he’s failed two tests and then been banned and then has gone to a court case and has won the court case and now the (British) Boxing board are appealing it so I don’t know what’s gone on there. Until it’s proven he’s guilty or innocent I don’t want to talk about it to be honest, I’d rather move on.
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