Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams rescheduled for second time after boxing ban

The hotly-anticipated domestic clash between Eubank Jr and Williams has been rescheduled for February 5 after boxing was banned from taking place in the UK in January due to the coronavirus pandemic

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Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Williams face off ahead of fight

Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Williams will now meet on February 5 after boxing in the UK was banned in January.

Both Eubank Jr and Williams were expected to continue their pursuit of a middleweight world title shot later this month.

The contest was initially agreed for December 11 last year but was later rescheduled until January 29 after Williams was forced to withdraw after suffering a shoulder injury.

Now the pair will be forced to wait another week after the BBBofC decided to suspend boxing in the UK for January to protect medical staff during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The event will still take place in Cardiff with Williams set to be backed by a raucous home support if fans are permitted to re-enter stadiums in Wales.

Eubank Jr will be left frustrated once again after having a disrupted 2021 due to personal issues and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.

He plans to launch a world-title assault and wants to face middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin later in the year.

But the BBBofC have created the new ban in a bid to keep the NHS staff helping out in the battle against the pandemic.

“Following advice from the British Boxing Board of Control Medical Panel, Boxing tournaments under the jurisdiction of the BBBofC will be suspended for the month of January,” the Board said in a statement.

“A further review by the Medical Panel and Stewards will take place prior to the planned recommencement of Boxing in February.”

Eubank Jr has been spotted going through his paces by training in Dubai alongside British heavyweight Anthony Joshua who offered his support during his time in the Middle East.

Who wins the rescheduled middleweight clash – Chris Eubank Jr or Liam Williams? Let us know in the comments section below

Williams will provide a stern test of Eubank Jr’s credentials having challenged for the world title against Demetrius Andrade in his last fight, falling short in defeat.

But Eubank Jr has been radiant with confidence throughout the build-up to the fight and has vowed to make his long-term rival “eat” his words.

“He has said a lot of reckless things online and it doesn’t sit well with me at all,” Eubank Jr said. Respect is definitely not a word I would use in my feeling towards Liam.

“He has said a lot of reckless feelings online and it doesn’t sit well with me. This is a grudge match and genuine domestic rivalry, the things he has said has made it personal.

“The things he has said, lowlife, scumbag and cretin, these are the words that I can use to describe a man that talks the way he talks and he will eat his words soon enough.

“It seems he has come here to talk about respect but it has gone too far past that and he is going to get embarrassed.”