Skip to content

Anthony Joshua's shock defeat to Oleksandr Usyk has fired up Chris Eubank Jr to preserve his own world title ambitions

"If anything, this makes me want to fight even harder. I know the feelings he's going through now," Chris Eubank Jr reflects on Anthony Joshua's defeat - the middleweight contender returns on Saturday, live on Sky Sports

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Chris Eubank Jr says Anthony Joshua will come back stronger from Oleksandr Usyk defeat 

Chris Eubank Jr is 'fired up' after watching Anthony Joshua's shock defeat, which has made him more determined than ever to fulfil his own world title ambitions.

Britain's middleweight contender returns at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, and victory keeps Eubank Jr on course for a WBA title shot this year.

But Eubank Jr has fresh motivation to produce an emphatic victory after watching from ringside as Joshua's second world heavyweight title reign was ended by a points loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Usyk beat Joshua by unanimous points decision to become world heavyweight champion
Buy BOXXER tickets here!
Buy BOXXER tickets here!

Tickets are from only £40 for The SSE Arena, Wembley and Utilita Arena, Newcastle

"Absolutely, I'm fired up," said Eubank Jr, who joined the Sky Sports team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"Obviously Anthony Joshua is a friend of mine. I'm a little deflated that he lost, but it's part of the game. We've all been there.

"If anything, this makes me want to fight even harder. I know the feelings he's going through now.

"The first thing you want to do is get back in the ring and win. We're going to put on a hell of a show."

Also See:

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Gennadiy Golovkin has expressed his interest in a future fight, says Eubank Jr

Eubank Jr produced a dominant points win over Marcus Morrison, in his first fight with new trainer Roy Jones Jr in May.

The 32-year-old says he resisted the desire to seek an early stoppage, but plans to unleash his ruthless instincts this weekend.

"I can be whatever I want to be," Eubank Jr told Sky Sports. "It all depends on what I'm trying to achieve on the given night.

"On that given night, I wanted to achieve 10 rounds. I wanted to experience what it was like to have Roy Jones in my corner, and to listen to his instructions, and to shake off some of that ring rust.

"I had been out of the ring for a long, long time.

"Could I have stopped the fight earlier? Yes, but that wasn't my goal.

"That's not how it's always going to be. Fighters needs to understand that was a freak occurrence. Most of the time, if I see an opportunity, I'm going to take it. You're going to go.

"On that occasion, it wasn't the case, but in my next performance I will be looking for the stoppage early."

Chris Eubank Jr returns on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Around Sky