"A clever man would have taken the good from his dad, and left the bad. But Eubank Jr hasn't done that"
Tuesday 15 October 2019 11:48, UK
Chris Eubank Jr has been warned by his old rival Billy Joe Saunders not to fight without his esteemed father's guidance.
Eubank Jr enjoyed a career-best win against James DeGale earlier this year without Eubank Sr, the former world champion and British boxing legend, in his corner.
"Eubank Jr is becoming his own man but, the trouble is, he hasn't been as active. His dad has his faults but he'd been there and done it," said Saunders, who ended Eubank Jr's unbeaten record in 2014, to Sky Sports.
"A clever man would have taken the good from his dad, and left the bad. But Eubank Jr hasn't done that. It's all or nothing, with his dad.
"Since he hasn't been with his dad, he hasn't boxed."
Eubank Jr used a full-time trainer, Nate Vasquez, for the first time in his career against DeGale but has since parted ways with him.
Vasquez has previously told Sky Sports: "If you go from trainer to trainer to trainer, it's no good."
Saunders insists that the weaknesses he exposed in Eubank Jr by outpointing him five years ago will never be addressed.
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks," Saunders said. "Eubank Jr is 30 now. You can't teach him a new jab.
"Get him fit, wind him up, let him go. That's it.
"What do you do against him? You move, duck, turn, move, duck, hit, hold, hit. Eubank Jr can't deal with that."
Eubank Jr previously told Sky Sports that he wanted a rematch with Saunders, who defends his WBO super-middleweight belt against Marcelo Esteban Coceres on the undercard of KSI vs Logan Paul.
"When that fight happens, he'll get what's coming, and I'll be able to move on," Eubank Jr said.
"At this stage, the fight can be made. It's just when and where."
Saunders responded: "It's a bitter pill to swallow for Eubank Jr.
"When he lost to George Groves, there was no build-up, no talk, it was all nicey-nicey. But with me? There was plenty of build-up and he didn't back up what he said he would do.
"I did - and that's the reason why Eubank Jr has openly said that he hates me. I don't hate him. I don't like him but I don't hate him.
"I had a conversation with his brother a few months ago. His brother walked up to me and shook my hand. He didn't really mention Chris Jr."
Saunders' promoter Eddie Hearn previously said about Eubank Jr: "I don't know what he's doing. Is he retired?
"He had the best win of his career in February and nobody has seen him since. I don't know why.
"I could make the Saunders or [Callum Smith] fights today. Billy Joe and Callum are both up for that fight.
"I believe Eubank Jr wants to win world titles so why not? Eubank Jr is a big name and a good fighter."
WBA super-middleweight champion Smith said: "It's a fight that you can't really get away from and I think it's something that has to happen.
"Eubank Jr might not have a world title or be as highly-rated as other fighters in the division but there's no denying that he's a big name.
"I think he's a great fighter if you stand in front of him, and have it with him. But he's shown weaknesses to good boxers on more than one occasion and I'd be confident of having enough to get the job done."
