LIAM SMITH has stated that he has no knowledge of a September 2 date for his on-off rematch with Chris Eubank Jr.
Earlier today on Twitter Eubank Jr tweeted, “Eubank vs Smith 2 at the O2 September 2nd”.
“It’s nice he’s found his phone and his voice,” Smith told BN in response to the post.
“I’ve not heard anything, any confirmation about that. I was told today he’s fighting Conor Benn,” he added.
Smith has found himself in the middle of a will they-won’t they scenario involving Eubank Jr and Benn. In March Benn was provisionally suspended by UKAD having tested positive for the banned substance clomifene in July and September last year. That October both Benn and Eubank Jr were all set to fight at the O2 Arena but days before news broke of a failed test which ultimately cancelled the fight. Since then, Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn has still been working to ensure the fight can still go ahead with the Middle East the front-runner destination. His welterweight is still not free to fight in the UK and relinquished his British Boxing Board of Control licence last year.
Mail Online reported that Benn’s legal team appeared before the National Anti-Doping panel on Monday. The outcome of which was expected to be announced this week.
The rematch between Smith and Eubank Jr has already fallen through on two occasions due to an injury to the Liverpudlian. In January at the AO Arena in Manchester Smith produced a stunning performance to stop his rival in four rounds following a spiteful build-up. The following month Eubank Jr chose to invoke the rematch clause.
Yesterday Eubank Jr’s promoter Kalle Sauerland spoke to Boxing News about his fighter’s future.
“The Conor Benn thing is ongoing. They had a hearing this week and that’s all I’ve heard so far. If he gets cleared it’s one for the future if he’s not cleared it’s not one for the future. It’s not like you can negotiate around a situation like that because you don’t know the timeline of when he’s going to be cleared.”
Sauerland was asked when he hoped to close a deal on the Smith rematch.
“Next few days. I expect it to take place in early September. We’ve got a few days but at the same we haven’t got weeks either. It’ll be done hopefully if we can all agree terms and be done in the next few days.”