Update: Abraham finally makes weight. Weights: Eubank Jr. 167.5, Abraham 168
Super-middleweight rivals Chris Eubank Junior and Arthur Abraham have weighed-in for tomorrow night’s IBO title defence by Eubank Jr. and though both men look to be in fantastic physical condition, challenger Abraham actually failed to make the 168 pound limit.
Abraham was all smiles as he climbed onto the scale, but he tipped in at 12 stone 1LB and 5 oz, a little over 169 pounds. According to IBO rules, Abraham has until later this afternoon (around 4PM UK time) to shed the excess weight and come in at 168. Eubank, looking as stern as ever, tipped in at 11 stone 13LBS and 3 oz.
The two engaged in a long and quite intense stare-down after weighing in, with both men speaking to one another. Abraham tapped his head a couple of times, perhaps suggesting he is too smart and too clever for his significantly younger opponent. But how will the efforts of shedding that pound-plus affect the 37 year old’s body? Will Abraham in fact make weight, or will he fail to do so and be prepared to pay a fine instead?
If this turns out to be the case, tomorrow’s IBO clash will be demoted to a non-title affair.
It’s likely Eubank, who will be making the first defence of his lightly regarded belt, will not care too much about Abraham’s weight issues. The bold and outspoken son of the British great has declared he will show his “elite class” in tomorrow’s fight; one he concedes is the “the toughest of my career.”
As fans know, tomorrow’s winner will move on and enter the WBS super-middleweight tournament. Eubank Jr. says this tournament will prove who the world’s best 168 pound fighter is: “I will show them all, one by one, that I’m the very best and that I would go in with anyone,” he told The Evening Standard.
Prediction: Eubank will out-work, outspeed and out-punch Abraham tomorrow, winning via a wide margin on the cards. Eubank will not get the KO he has predicted will be his.