Chris Eubank Jr slams Nick Blackwell’s criticism of father… but offers retired ‘warrior’ his British title belt as ‘goodwill gesture’
British middleweight champion makes pledge after ending rival’s career in brutal bout which took place back in March
CHRIS EUBANK JR has offered ‘warrior’ Nick Blackwell his title belt after he prematurely ended the Brit boxer’s career.
Blackwell was forced to retire last month after a brutal brawl with Eubank left him in a coma.
The 25-year-old has accused Eubank, and father Chris Sr, of ‘disgusting and inhuman’ conduct in the wake of the fight.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun this week, Blackwell slammed Team Eubank for holding a press conference while he was battling for life.
But Eubank Jr dismissed the criticism and claimed he wanted to make the gesture to expel any bad blood between the pair.
The British middleweight champion, 26, said: “I was shocked when I first heard the things he’d been saying because we’d had a little talk on social media and he said everything was ok and that there were no hard feelings.
“The truth is, I ended the guy’s career. I’ve stopped him from being able to make a living.
“Was it intentional? No. Did I mean for this to happen? Of course not. But I guess I can understand where this anger and dislike for me could come from.”
He added: “I wanted to come see him because I had something for him. And that something is my British title belt.
“I felt the fight was a great fight, I felt he held himself amazingly, it was a beautiful fight.
“As a gesture I was going to come to the hospital and present him with the belt.
“The guy’s a true warrior, regardless of what’s been said, the only thing that’s important is that he is now okay, he’s with his family and he can live a normal life with no restrictions.
“I believe that the belt is a goodwill gesture, I’m still ready to come and give it to him.”
Blackwell fell into a week-long coma after he developed a swelling on the brain during his the March 26 bout.
The fight was eventually halted in the 10th round after a horrific lump appeared over Blackwell’s left eye.
Eubank Sr claimed he instructed his son to switch to the body in order to save his opponent as the referee allowed him to take more punishment.
But in a blistering statement Blackwell, who was unable to attend the television interview, accused the pair of lying.
It read: “Chris Sr., you’ve taken the credit with both hands for saving my life by telling people you told your son at the start of the eighth round to hit me to the body and not the head.
“If you were both so concerned about my wellbeing then how come Jr. threw relentless head shots in that round, how come you told junior at the start of the tenth round that you didn’t want this fight to go the distance and that you wanted Jr. to take me out?
“This is a major contradiction and shows you are lying.”
But Eubank Jr was quick to hit back at Blackwell and leapt to the defence of his father.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, he said: “If there wasn’t compassion, my father would have said: ‘Listen, keep doing what you’re doing. He’s hurt — go out there, destroy him’.
“He didn’t say that. He saw the effects I was having on Nick, he saw his state and he advised me there was no need to keep hitting him to the head.
“He knows from past experience what can happen to fighters when they take that kind of punishment.
“It’s not my job [to look out for the well-being of opponents], and he knows that.
“But he knows how far ahead I was in the fight, it was no contest.
“And that’s where his compassion came in. He understood, it doesn’t matter what you do, you’re going to win the fight, so go easy on the guy.”