Chris Eubank Junior is leaving no stone unturned in preparing for his next fight against Harry Matthews – by pounding the pebble beach in his hometown of Brighton with seven-mile long endurance runs.
Eubank Jr vs. Matthews proudly presented by Hennessy Sports in association with Alma Ingle will be shown live on Channel 5 this Saturday from 10:30pm.
Eubank Jnr, 22, who has won his first three professional fights, says the pebbles shifting underfoot make it feel as if he has run double the distance.
He said yesterday: ‘It is a serious endurance test. Normally on grass or concrete you can push off but when you run on the beach your feet sink down into the pebbles.
‘When you finish that type of run, you know you have been doing it, especially in the first few weeks when you feel you can barely walk afterwards.’
Eubank jnr’s slightly unconventional training regime also includes sprinting on the Withdean athletic track at Brighton to give him explosive power, and steering clear of weight training.
He explained: ‘I have never done weights. With my body type it is not for me and I’ve never felt that it transfers well to boxing. I think it can make you more sluggish.
‘Building all that muscle up in your arms is unnecessary and I just think ‘Why are you doing that? I prefer to focus on technique, sparring and shadow boxing.
‘The sprinting helps with explosive movement and power in the ring. In the ring you can be calm and collected at one point and then when you spot the opening you have to immediately go up two or three gears and jump on the opponent. Sprinting emulates that.’
Middleweight Eubank jnr said the sudden change in tempo he has been working on helped him in his last fight, a technical knockout victory against Paul Allison in the fourth round.
Although comparisons with his famous father, former world middleweight champion Chris, 45, are bound to be made, Chris jnr, said he had identified a difference in boxing style between father and son.
While conceding he (junior) is still a relative novice in the professional ranks, he pointed out: ‘My father was more of a one, two, three boxer. I can focus more on making the punches very powerful and hurtful, and incorporate more speed.
‘In my last fight I threw six, seven, or eight punches, in the space of a few seconds. That is something I have picked up from Floyd Mayweather snr.’
And he sounded the following message to those wishing to compare him with his dad.
‘I’m not old school like my father, and I’m not new school like the opposition; I’m my own school- so get ready to attend.’
Tune in to Channel 5 this Saturday (May 12) from 10:30pm to watch all the action from the Hillsborough Leisure Centre.
