BOXING
Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr. odds and predictions: Who is the favorite to win the fight?
Both fighters will meet again inside the ring after their first fight in January when Smith recorded an impressive win.
Seven months later, Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr. will meet again in the ring at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
In their first bout, Smith dominated his opponent in a fight many believed would be close, but the reality is that the match ended very soon.
Beefy’s experience, movement, and footwork were too much for Eubank Jr. in their first encounter, who ended up losing via technical knockout in the fourth round.
Eubank Jr., though, seems recovered and ready to face Smith again. Although a few boxing pundits suggested that NextGen should step into the ring to face another fighter before having his rematch with Smith, he decided not to wait and try to avenge his loss.
Smith vs Eubank Jr. 2: Smith favored to win again
It will be interesting to see if Smith can deliver another solid performance against a motivated but also more cautious fighter in Eubank Jr.
The Hove native will likely be more conservative, at least at the beginning, as he’s now aware of Smith’s power and movement.
Will his trainer Roy Jones Jr. have a big impact in the rematch? It’s hard to say, but it looks like Eubank will have to make some adjustments if he wants to see things go his way in Manchester.
While Smith was the underdog in their first fight, he’s now the favorite. A victory for him is paid at 11/20 (1.55), whereas a revenge win for Eubank Jr. is priced at 7/5 (2.4). In the case of a draw, it would be paid at 15/1 (16.0).
Bookmakers offer odds of 7/5 (2.4) for Smith to win by KO or TKO, with the same bet priced at 5/1 (6.0) for Eubank Jr.
Smith vs Eubank Jr. 2: prediction
Will it be Liam Smith coming out on top again or will Chris Eubank bounce back from adversity and pull off the upset?
Smith is favored to get the victory for a second time and it’s no secret why. He looked very superior in their first clash, controlling the tempo and the distance. Eubank wasn’t careful enough, as he was very confident going into the fight, and that translated into a mistake that cost him the fight.
Eubank, who had never been stopped before as a pro, will probably have a Plan B if things get tough, while Smith will try to stick to his initial gameplan, which proved to be effective enough.
It’s hard to see Eubank knocking out a durable fighter like Smith, although if the Eubank Jr. of old shows up, he could outwork his opponent. However, and based on what happened in the first bout, that would mean that Eubank Jr has changed many things and has become a more disciplined fighter in half a year, which could be too much of an ask.
Prediction: Liam Smith defeats Eubank Jr. via stoppage.