Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith Odds & Prediction for Grudge Match

• Boxing odds are live for Chris Eubank Jr -210 against Liam Smith as a +160 underdog.
• Liam Smith is moving up in weight from super-welterweight to middleweight for this fight.
• I give my fight prediction below for Eubank Jr vs Smith.

On January 21 Chris Eubank Jr will return to action, taking on former world champion Liam Smith at the AO Arena in Manchester. The bout will be hosted by BOXXER and aired live on SkySports Box Office.

Eubank’s last fight was scrapped due to Conor Benn testing positive for banned substances, now Eubank is eager to start 2023 with a bang. We review the latest odds for Eubank Jr vs Smith and give a betting pick below.

Eubank Jr vs Smith Odds

The oddsmakers are favoring Chris Eubank Jr with a 68% win probability over Liam Smith. A straight-up bet for Eubank Jr to win would profit $100 off a $210 wager. While Smith offers value as the underdog here, with $100 netting $160 profit.

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Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith Prediction

Smith (32-3-1, 19 KOs) is on a major winning streak at the moment with recent wins over Jesse Vargas, Anthony Fowler, and Roberto Garcia. Smith was the betting favorite in the majority of those recent wins, even closing as wide as -2000 on some sports betting sites to Hassan Mwakinyo.

After his winning BOXXER debut in September, Smith immediately set his sights on Eubank Jr as he plots his path to becoming a world champion for a second time.

Liam Smith has incredible fundamentals inside the ring. I can see this being a close enough fight, with Eubank Jr having the slight edge due to movement, cardio, and more variety than Smith.

When it comes down to straight-up boxing I do give the advantage to Smith, Eubank will respect this and do whatever it takes to mix up strikes and frustrate Smith so he can set up some counterpunches.

Chris Eubank Jr is now a seasoned pro, similar to Smith who has more amateur experience. Eubank however has been on the bigger stages and should have some natural size advantage over Smith.

Outside of both boxers’ technical ability, Eubank has always brought a solid mental game to his pre-fight antics. From the early build-up already you can already tell he’s getting under Smith’s skin and fighting emotionally is what Eubank wants.

Smith’s key to victory here is to keep the pressure on Eubank early. Grind him down and attack the body. Eubank’s key to victory here will be his timing and chin, as he’ll need it against a solid puncher in Smith. Eubank will have to keep his defense up throughout the fight, which could mean knowing when to engage and when to move.

The only fighter to stop Liam Smith was Canelo Alvarez, and I think stylistically here that Eubank can find a way to also stop the Liverpool fighter in the later rounds.

Betting Prediction: Eubank Jr by TKO.

Eubank Jr Predicts within 8-Rounds

In a recent interview, Chris Eubank Jr said he is not paying attention to the pre-fight banter. That being said, he’s adding plenty of fuel to the fire anytime he does speak.

“I don’t think it’s going to be too much of a challenge for me so I don’t think I need to spar any more than eight rounds. That’s probably how long the fight is going to last. Guys that are a little bit more dangerous than Liam I’d probably be sparring 12 rounds but I think eight’s more than enough for Liam Smith. I’m not being disrespectful, I’m just very confident.”

Smith Calls Eubank Jr Accepting the Fight a Mistake

Smith said of Eubank Jr: “He’s making a big mistake fighting me. Every time he has fought at the top level, he has failed. I know I am at that level and when he steps up on January 21st in Manchester, I’m confident he’ll lose again.

“If he was at 60% for the fight that never was against Conor Benn, then he’ll need to be at 160% to be ready to face me, a former world champion, in front of thousands of my fans in the North-West.

“For Chris this is a high-risk, low-reward. For me, it’s the perfect platform to show I will rule the world again in 2023. He needs to be prepared for the toughest night of his career.”

Eubank Jr said of Smith: “Has he been in there with some good fighters? Yes. Are they on my level? No.

“He’s a competent fighter, but class beats competence every day of the week. It’s a good opportunity for me to show I’m twice the fighter that he is as well as those he has faced.

“Manchester is an iconic sporting city. It has hosted many legendary fight nights and many memorable fighters have been born there.

“It’ll be a great performance, and the Eubank name will hopefully become a regular feature whenever the boxing history of Manchester is discussed.

Who’s your money on – Eubank or Smith? Comment below!