Roy Jones Jr has big plans for Chris Eubank Jr, and while Jones doesn’t underestimate the Brit’s upcoming opponent Liam Smith, he’s training Eubank Jr with plans for the future and with Canelo Alvarez in his sights.
Roy Jones Jr is preparing Eubank Jr for Canelo
“Next Gen” will return to the ring on January 21st against Liam Smith, but the legendary Roy Jones, who trains Eubank, knows that his protégé doesn’t need him for that fight and that he is there for bigger challenges.
“To fight Liam Williams or Liam Smith, Chris doesn’t need me to beat them, because Chris Eubank’s boxing can beat them both,” Roy Jones told Sky Sports’ Toe2Toe boxing podcast. “He doesn’t bring me in for these particular fighters. He brings me here to help him be better prepared for names like GGG (Gennady Golovkin) or Canelo.”
The 33-year-old boxer bested Liam Williams last February and on January 21 he will go against Liam Smith at the Manchester Arena.
Roy Jones Jr knows that in fights against rivals like Canelo or Golovkin, he must have more knowledge, and that is why he is with him.
“When you go against these guys (Canelo or GGG), you can’t be the old Chris who just comes out and lets go of his hands,” Jones explained. “You have to be a tactician, you have to have a little more knowledge behind what you do.”
If a fight with Canelo or Golovkin comes to fruition, he made it clear that against them Chris Eubank Jr will need something more than usual to destroy people.
“He’s looking to the future in the bigger fights where he knows he’s going to need more than just tearing people apart with combinations,” Jones said. “That’s not going to work against these bigger guys, against Canelo or Golovkin .”
What he is sure of is that a resounding victory against Smith will open the doors for Chris.
“I think a good win will make people have to open their eyes and realize that he is definitely a contender,” he concluded. “And he deserves a chance.”
