Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr rematch delayed again due to injury as new headline fight announced
Liam Smith won the fighters’ initial contest in January
/ Action Images via Reutershe rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr has been delayed once again due to the Liverpudlian boxer’s injury.
An initial date of June 17 was knocked back to July 1 earlier this month following Smith’s injury, which has been descrbed as “nagging” and is again behind this fresh postponement.
A new date is set to be announced once medical reports have been examined by the two parties.
“I’ve always said a fully-fit Liam Smith beats Chris Eubank Jr every day of the week and twice on Sunday,” Smith told Sky Sports.
“I tried training through it because I didn’t want to let anyone down but my team have decided to withdraw me following the latest medical assessment.
“I’ll heal up now and then the fully-fit Liam Smith will be back later this year to give Chris his second beating.”
Smith stopped Eubank Jr in just the fourth round earlier this year.
Despite the main event’s cancellation, this summer’s card in Manchester is still set to take place with Savannah Marshall’s showdown with undisputed super-middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn now the headline fight.
Promoter Ben Shalom said: “Nobody is more disappointed than Liam Smith.
“He's the ultimate professional but he respects his team's decision to postpone the bout. We’re working on a new date for the fight and hope to announce that in a week or so. In the meantime, we’ve got some huge fights taking place in Manchester on July 1.”