1 Uncertainty reigns
While Eubank Jnr’s 10th-round stoppage of Smith appears, on paper, every bit as conclusive as Smith’s fourth-round stoppage of Eubank Jnr back in January, there will, just like that January stoppage, forever be an asterisk against it due to Smith’s performance, or lack thereof.
2 Smith cut 42 pounds
Now, while 42 pounds sounds like an exaggeration, and may well be, we must take Smith’s word for it. According to him, the weight he accumulated while nursing a back injury was difficult to shift and made the weight cut torturous – which of course is his problem (and responsibility) and nobody else’s.
3 Dodgy ankles
There were signs in round one that all was not well – or at least normal – with Liam Smith’s ankles, yet it took many of those watching a while to cotton on. Either way, whether an injury or an odd habit of his, the constant rolling of his ankles did little for his movement on the night.
4 A balance is always best
So far in his professional career we have seen Eubank Jnr try to be both an aggressive swarmer and a measured, back-foot boxer. However, on Saturday night he may have struck the perfect balance between these two vastly different styles.
5 Jab’s the key
By investing heavily in his jab, Eubank Jnr was able to set the tempo and gain control over Smith rather quickly. Better than before, and more consistent than before, Eubank Jnr’s jab was the key to setting up everything else.
6 Return of the uppercut
With Smith often ducking low it made sense for Eubank Jnr to return to the uppercut, an old favourite of his, and return to it he did. Catching Smith often with this shot, its prevalence made for some wild exchanges.
7 “BoMac” delivers
Brian “BoMac” McIntyre is the latest in a long line of American coaches deemed suddenly in vogue, but his brief work with Eubank Jnr, combined with his extensive work with Terence Crawford, should rightfully bring him some respect this year.
8 No one-punch merchant
A criticism levelled at Eubank Jnr for some time now, it became clear on Saturday that he is not, despite his ferocity and combination punching, someone who has the power to finish an opponent with one shot.
9 Mentally tough
Although he played it down beforehand, there can be no doubt Eubank Jnr’s confidence will have been affected by what happened against Smith first time around. To therefore hold it all together and perform as he did in the rematch is only to be applauded.
10 Selling souls
Even if pre-fight each of the men involved sheepishly shied away from questions regarding it, there can now be no denying that Chris Eubank Jnr vs. Conor Benn, perhaps the ugliest fight in boxing today, is the one both the fighters and the promoters want next.