Thursday 19 May 2016 18:02, UK
Chris Eubank believes he knows how to deal with Gennady Golovkin and is adamant his son Chris Eubank Jr will "beat up" the Kazakh.
Eubank Jr (22-1-KO17) returns to Sky Sports Box Office on June 25 when he takes on the unbeaten Tom Doran (17-0-KO7) at The O2 and is already targeting a clash with WBA 'Super' and IBF world middleweight champion Golovkin.
At the age of 34, Golovkin (35-0-KO32) has earned a reputation as a brutal puncher and is revered by many as one of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters.
But Eubank Sr is unfazed by the prospect of 'Junior' stepping in with the divisional kingpin and would have fancied his own chances, too.
I would know how to deal with him and I know my son can. It is in the knowing that he will go forward and do this.
The former two-weight world champion told Sky Sports: "I would have beaten him. I would beat him up. I wouldn't box him. I would beat him up. I'm not going in there looking to see whether I can beat him. I'm going in there to take it, just as Junior is going to do.
"For anyone who may say: 'You're saying that after the fact and it can't be proven and it's not nice Mr Eubank to speak that way about a fighter you can't fight,' with respect I take back what I said. I would know how to beat him.
"I'm not disrespecting his ability. He is a fantastic boxer and a great fighter. I would know how to deal with him and I know my son can. It is in the knowing that he will go forward and do this.
"Eddie Hearn has to do the job of actually making that fight in September. He's ready. He's willing and he's far more capable than the boxing public thinks.
"I pointed out to him the other day that if he fights Golovkin, he'll get marked up and he will do but he beats him and it's worth the risk. To me, it isn't one because if he follows the strategic model we are going to use, I believe Junior beats him up.
"Junior's last performance shows he is beginning to understand what I believe and know, and when he understands it, believes it and knows it, oh my goodness!
"We don't take breaks. He doesn't take breaks. He's pure. He's not a celebrity. He's not notable for anything else other than his ability to fight and isn't it fantastic; the talent and the performance. The performance he's giving is exceptional."
When he faces Doran, Eubank Jr will be making the first defence of the British middleweight crown he took from Nick Blackwell in March but while his father is excited by the prospect of keeping the Lonsdale Belt, he admits a step up to world level remains the priority.
He said: "Being a fierce patriot, we don't want this [a Lonsdale Belt]; we need it. We need it in the family vault. It seems to me that we're going to get it.
"I made a promise to Junior that if he listens to me, then I will steer him to being better than me. He could never be as good as, so he's going to have to be better.
"If the Golovkin fight comes up before, I'd have to say 'go for it', because that's how he steps out of my shadow absolutely. There's nothing I would love more than for that to happen."
Watch Eubank Jr v Doran, Anthony Joshua v Dominic Breazeale, George Groves v Martin Murray, Conor Benn and more live on Sky Sports Box Office on June 25.
