Chris Eubank Jr has turned down a fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. The British boxer says he's been out of the ring for too long to take on such a big challenge right now.
Eubank Jr last fought in September 2023, stopping Liam Smith. Since then, he's been busy outside the ring. He's signed a new deal with BOXXER and Sky Sports, and they've talked about big plans for his future. One of those plans was a possible fight with Canelo.
But Canelo won't be fighting Eubank Jr next. Instead, he'll defend his unified super-middleweight world titles against Edgar Berlanga in September. Berlanga is undefeated and the number one contender. The fight will continue the long-standing rivalry between Puerto Rico and Mexico in boxing.
Eubank Jr explained why he's not taking on Canelo in an interview:
"I've been out of the ring for a year. You don't go a year without fighting and then go into a mega fight, not if you're looking to actually win and perform and do what you're supposed to do. Which is why I didn't take the Canelo fight when it was offered to me."
Some people in boxing thought Eubank Jr was only mentioned as a way to get a better deal for another fighter. But Ben Shalom, Eubank's promoter, says the talks fell apart because Canelo's team couldn't meet Eubank's money demands.
Eubank Jr, who's 34, isn't giving up on fighting Canelo. He says the Mexican star is still on his hit-list. But for now, he's focusing on getting back in the ring. He'll fight Kamil Szeremeta, a former European Middleweight Champion from Poland, on October 12.