There is much anticipation for the highly-anticipated domestic clash between CHRIS EUBANK JR and LIAM WILLIAMS which was rescheduled to Saturday 5th February at Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, kicking off a huge year of live boxing on Sky Sports.
The current climate forced the British Boxing Board of Control to suspend all UK boxing this month as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Williams to postpone their middleweight clash for a second time. Things seemed to have eased enough for the new date to be back in the calendar.
Ignore the old date on the posters……
Presented by BOXXER and Sky Sports Boxing, in association with Wasserman Boxing – the original change in date wasn’t only pandemic related but as a result of Liam suffering a recurrence of the shoulder injury sustained during his world title fight against Demetrius Andrade in April.
Following a series of scans and consultations with medical experts, Liam has been advised that the flare-up can be treated without surgery and that the bout can take place, whenever the new date is announced.
Tensions between the two rivals were already running high, following years of heated invective around their mutual claim to being the #1 middleweight in the UK. The added build-up time is expected to take those tensions to new heights and set the stage for an explosive showdown in the Welsh capital.
Ben Shalom, Founder and CEO, BOXXER said at the time…..
“We were absolutely gutted to hear of Liam’s injury and so we are equally delighted to get this fight back on, in a matter of weeks, to ensure Liam’s 100% fitness. The bitterness and mind-games towards each other has only intensified during this period, and by the time they get into the ring it will be at boiling point. I’m glad the fans will get the chance to see the fight that they desperately wanted,”
“This was going to be the biggest domestic fight of 2021. Now it’s going to be the biggest domestic fight of 2022 and it’s starting the Sky Sports Boxing new year with a bang. It’s a great card from top to bottom and we can’t wait to feel the atmosphere in the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff on fight night. It’s going to be electric.”
“We’ve got to wait a few more weeks for Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams, an unexpected twist in a heated rivalry which has just become even more intense. There was real tension as Eubank and Williams filmed ‘The Gloves Are Off’ in Sky Studios recently, so you can expect a classic British battle when they finally share the ring,” said Adam Smith, Head of Boxing Development at Sky Sports.
“We’re planning a blockbuster schedule which will be stronger than ever at the start of 2022, with Josh Taylor also defending his undisputed world titles in February – and there are more exciting announcements to come very soon!”
The long-running rivalry between Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Williams will be settled in explosive fashion at the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, live and exclusive on Sky Sports.
Eubank (31-2, 23 KO’s) and Williams (23-3, 18 KO’s) both lay claim to being the #1 middleweight in the UK and have traded verbal jabs numerous times in recent years. Now Eubank is taking the fight to Williams’ doorstep as he heads to the Welsh capital city of Cardiff to face the Welshman on home soil.
With both fighters known for having all-action styles and a proven pedigree for finishing fights inside the distance, this meeting promises to be one of the most electrifying British boxing contests of the year in a fiery England-Wales showdown.
Kalle Sauerland, Head of Global Boxing at Wasserman added……
“We were obviously disappointed to hear of Liam Williams’ injury but thankfully we will only have to wait a few more weeks to witness this blockbuster clash. Chris Eubank Jr vs. Liam Williams is the biggest fight in British boxing right now.
” There is genuine bad blood between them, and their rivalry is only going to intensify as we get closer to fight night. This is the match up everyone has been waiting to see. The atmosphere in Cardiff is going to be incredible when these two warriors finally meet in the centre of the ring to settle their differences.”
Also confirmed for the card is two-time Olympic gold medallist Claressa Shields, making her first appearance in the BOXXER ring as part of a seven-figure deal struck between BOXXER, Sky Sports and her management at Salita Promotions.
Shields will be defending her WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring World Middleweight Championships against undefeated WBF World Middleweight Champion Ema Kozin (21-0-1, 11 KO’s), with the 22-year-old Slovenian, who has stopped three of her last five opponents, making a third defence of her own world championship.
Tickets purchased that have the original fight date of 11 December 2021 will be still be valid for the rescheduled date of Saturday 5th February. For a full refund please go to your original point of purchase.
There are some tickets left for the night in the private balcony area and some inner ringside seats. To see what’s on offer go HERE.
Boxing At the Motorpoint Arena, also Airs Live And Exclusively To Sky Sports Subscribers