Chris Eubank Jr. has turned down a mandatory opportunity at the WBO Middleweight title. WBO circulated two letters via social media today, the first from Elliot Amokah, a director at Nova Sport that represents Eubank Jr. The contents of the letter, which you can see in full below, thanks the WBO for naming Eubank Jr as their number 1 Middleweight, but requests no mandatory position as Eubank Jr. is currently negotiating another bout. Amokah requests that various options are discussed during the Spring or Summer of 2024.
The WBO do not appear pleased by the response. The WBO responded with their own public letter, stating that they will be following their own regulations and not appearing to give credence to Eubank Jr.’s request. The WBO end their letter by stating they will serve the best interest of boxing, the WBO and the Middleweight division.
The current WBO Middleweight champion is Janibek Alimkhanuly, who also captured the IBF Middleweight championship when he defeated Vincenzo Gualtieri on 14 October 2023. He is due a mandatory contest next as his previous bout was a unification between the WBO and IBF titles. Had Chris Eubank Jr and his team accepted a mandatory position then he would have been next in line to fight Janibek.
Eubank Jr is currently negotiating another bout that presumably would have a higher purse than a bout against Janibek. There are several different British contenders that could challenge Eubank Jr next and provide more PPV interest than Janibek, but it is disappointing that Eubank Jr has chosen not to pursue his first world championship. Eubank Jr held the IBO Super Middleweight championship on two occasions, as well as the WBA Interim World Middleweight championship, but neither is considered a full world title.
Kazakh boxer Meiirim Nursultanov is ranked number 2 with the WBO and holds the WBO International Middleweight title, with Felix Cash ranked number 3. Cash has been inactive in 2023 and last fought in an 8 round contest in December 2022. Other Brits ranked include Hamzah Sheeraz at number 6, Denzel Bentley at number 9, and Liam Smith at number 10. The WBO have not confirmed what their next steps will be regarding the Middleweight title and Chris Eubank Jr.
Images copyrighted to WBO – World Boxing Organisation.