| Venue: Manchester Arena Date: Saturday, 2 September |
| Coverage: Follow live text coverage and reaction on BBC Sport website & app from 21:00 BST |
Chris Eubank Jr knew seconds after being stopped by Liam Smith that he would activate his rematch clause.
The 33-year-old had just been dropped twice, for the first time in his career, and immediately pushed away referee Victor Loughlin as he made a beeline for a celebrating Smith.
“I knew the fight was over, I knew I wouldn’t be able to change the decision,” Eubank said on the 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast.
“But I wanted to look Liam in the eye and let him know, ‘listen, I know we’re going to do this again and you didn’t stop me, you’re not the better man and I’m coming for you in the rematch’.”
The movement across the ring, however, caused momentary panic in Smith’s corner and his coach Joe McNally quickly intervened.
He put his arms around Eubank, told him the fight was over and guided him back towards his team.
The entire week in January had been emotionally charged, with a news conference marred by homophobic taunts and taunts about social class. Eubank was then mercilessly booed as he entered the ring.
McNally was worried a still dazed Eubank might spark a melee given tensions had already boiled over.
Instead, Smith was able to continue his jubilant celebrations and Eubank was left ruing his mistakes.
“The first time I saw the fight I was happy with my performance and up until that fourth round I felt like I was dominating the fight,” Eubank said.
“That was a mistake on my part, giving him the opening to do what he did.
“We all make mistakes, nobody is perfect, but I have to be perfect for this rematch.”
‘A much bigger fight’
Eubank now finds himself as the obvious underdog, given the nature of his defeat in the first fight.
The Manchester Arena is again the venue and 35-year-old Smith is brimming with even more confidence than he was before having been the fighter to make good on his promises.
Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom believes Smith is the “slight favourite” but said he must be wary of a desperate Eubank.
“It’s a much bigger fight, there’s much more on the line,” Shalom said.
“There’s no rematch unless it gets activated by Chris. People will say he’s making up excuses as to why he lost, he clearly believes them.
“Liam will know he clearly believes them, whether he thinks he’s delusional or not, he knows he chose this fight.”
McNally says Eubank remains dangerous and is a “magnificent talent”. Smith intends to remain consistent in his approach, as he searches for a fifth stoppage win in a row.
It is Eubank who says he must “adapt”.
Can Crawford’s shine rub off on Eubank?
After the third defeat of his career, Eubank split with Roy Jones Jr and hired new coach Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre.
It is his third head coach in four years after spending much of his pro career without a lead trainer.
McIntyre trains undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford, who beat Errol Spence Jr in one of the most dominant displays against a fellow elite fighter in boxing history.
Eubank is hopeful some of the shine of that massively successful partnership can rub off on him.
He says he has become a “morning person” and has learned a “completely different boxing language” since linking up with McIntyre.
“I trust him, that’s the main thing. It’s very hard for me to trust people in this sport,” Eubank said.
“There’s a lot of people saying they know what they’re doing but they don’t really know. This could never be Bomac and his team because they have the track record with Terence Crawford.”
Crawford sent a message to Eubank in camp, clearly confident his new stablemate can turn the tables on Smith. Should he do so, Shalom has not ruled out a trilogy.
“Don’t get too confident and do what you got to do to get the victory,” Crawford said to Eubank via video call.
“You know how to fight. Just let it come to you, you don’t need to rush.”
