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EXCLUSIVE: Golovkin and Saunders on Chris Eubank Jnr's radar in 2022

“I argue that given the way Sky are pushing him, it would make him together with Golovkin as a Box Office, a commercial attraction at the top of the division."

Chris Eubank Jnr has a list of five or six opponents he could face next after his fight against Liam Williams next month, according to Kalle Sauerland.
The promoter exclusively spoke to Planet Sport ahead of Eubank's grudge match in Cardiff and one thing is clear - a world title shot remains top of the list for the 32-year-old.
Eubank's sole challenge for world honours saw him come up short against George Groves in the World Boxing Super Series in 2018 - promoted by the Sauerlands.

In the middleweight division, Gennadiy Golovkin will collide in a unification bout against Ryoto Murata next year in a rearranged bout that got postponed in December due to COVID-19 protocols. Meanwhile, Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo hold the WBO and WBC belts, respectively.

Sauerland - who also promotes heavyweight prospect Filip Hrgovic - believes Eubank's toughness alongside his marketability will see him bag a huge showdown if he comes through Williams next.

"It's highly unfortunate that another victim of COVID is Golovkin-Murata - which we should be watching tonight taking place in Japan. We're not going to wait for certain fights to take place, I think this fight (with Williams) propels Chris to being a very attractive name for a world champion," Sauerland told Planet Sport.
"Don't forget a world champion needs a good opponent. Chris is a tough opponent but he also brings in something more because he is a UK star. What I see from other boxers who come from small markets like Bulgaria - they're very good boxers but there's no appeal. For a world champion, you want to box good boxers but also be paid well and from that point of view, Chris is right up there.
"I argue that given the way Sky are pushing him, it would make him together with Golovkin as a Box Office, a commercial attraction at the top of the division. There's plenty of options you look at [Demetrius] Andrade - we were very close to reaching terms of that before tragedy hit Chris' family. There's a host of names - you have to look at the world champions and that's where we are going. I love the fight against Williams, you just don't need a belt for it do you?"

Saunders always a possibility for Eubank

Billy Joe Saunders - the other fighter along Groves to have inflicted defeat on Eubank's resume in 2014 is also a possible opponent should he decide to return to the ring.

Despite demanding £5m to make the fight happen, it is unknown as to whether the former two-division world champion will fight again after a devastating defeat to Canelo Alvarez in May left him with a fractured orbital bone to the right eye.

"Billy Joe Saunders is a name that's always going to be brought up and is obviously an interesting one as well," Sauerland added. "Both are not far off that middleweight limit - when I see them walking around they are certainly well over it and they're certainly not getting any younger in terms of making that weight so that's also a natural fight that could come about. There's a list of five or six very mouth-watering options for the next 12 months.
"No, I think Billy is enjoying life and good on him, so should he," Sauerland said when asked if he had been in contact with Saunders. "But I believe he is a fighting man and will slowly but surely return to the ring but who knows, he is an explosive character. At the end of the day, it's only his decision but if he did we would love to sit down and talk about it.

Adam Booth links up with Williams

One surprise going into the fight was Liam Williams' decision to join well-respected trainer Adam Booth ahead of his dust-up with Chris Eubank.

On fight night in the respective corners, Booth will be in one corner and boxing icon Roy Jones Jnr will be in the opposite corner for Eubank.

Booth has a current stable which includes Josh Kelly, Mick Conlan and Harlem Eubank - Eubank Jnr's cousin - and he also had a brief stint with Eubank himself.

"It throws up even more popcorn for the press conference. You could look at it from a lot of different angles," Sauerland said. "Adam is a very good trainer but he's only got around five weeks to work with Williams and it's going to be a tough ask to come up with a game plan so I haven't looked into it too much on a sporting level.

"Williams as any competitor wants the best preparation possible, Jnr is very happy with Roy Jones Jnr - he's been training throughout Christmas as well but he was ready to a couple of weeks ago.
"There is of course the fact that Jnr had a stint training with Booth, there is a fact that Adam also trains his cousin - Harlem Eubank who will also be boxing on the show - so there's a lot of interesting sidelines and lots to talk about, read about and lots for fans to digest about ahead of the fight. That ultimately as a promoter is positive."

Fight goes ahead as planned

On December 26, Wales added new restrictions to protect the country from the increase of COVID-19 cases, introducing a two-week circuit breaker.
While there are some concerns about sporting capacities going into 2022, Sauerland remains optimistic of Eubank-Williams going ahead as planned in Cardiff on January 29.
"I think we have to with the fact that they have announced this circuit breaker for Wales. I think it's almost a positive that it has come pretty early - earlier than anywhere else in the UK.
"If I look into the numbers of the other countries, we've just seen big spike numbers in Denmark - where we are also active - and they also drop very quickly with Omicron. I think given that we are four weeks out and I do expect January 29 to go ahead and it will be a great show. At the moment we are all guns blazing," he added.

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