CHRIS EUBANK JNR is that rare specimen: a fighter who walks and talks like a world champion without actually being one.

His profile in the sport is a study in hype and self-promotion, belying a record that is good but not great.

But boy can he talk, which given his DNA as the son of the original Chris Eubank is hardly a surprise.

What is a surprise is that British boxing is currently so lacking in personalities that a Eubank Jnr fight still enjoys the status of a must-see event.  

At 33, Eubank has been operating as a pro for 10 years. He has two losses on his record thus far, on each occasion while challenging for a world title.

The first of those came against Billy Joe Saunders in 2014 and the second against George Groves in 2018. Notable victories have been won against an ageing Arthur Abraham in 2017 and James De Gale in 2019. 

On January 21 he will face Liverpool’s Liam Smith at the Manchester Arena in a non-title bout, promoted by Ben Shalom’s Boxxer outfit for Sky Sports. 

Eubank Jnr’s flamboyance and Smith’s grounded artisan-like approach to the game is a contrast that has played well in the media appearances they’ve made to promote the event so far.

Having missed out on a big payday with the collapse of the Conor Benn fight in December, due to the latter falling foul of a drugs test, Eubank is clearly relishing the prospect of facing Smith at a middleweight with no mad hydration clause involved.

Confidence is his currency and he has elicited a ton of the stuff in the company of an increasingly exasperated Liam Smith.

A member of the estimable Smith boxing family, Liam has been in with a roster of major talent, up to and including Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2016.

His KO loss to the Mexican star was no shame, given the gulf in ability, and now seven years later at age 34 his options should he lose to Eubank Jnr will be limited going forward.

In fact on paper this is a must-win fight for both men, though Eubank Jnr does have the kind of star power that has eluded Smith throughout this career.

It’s an intriguing fight for various reasons, the primary one being how to they match up stylistically. Eubank Jnr relies on an engine the size of your average jumbo jet and utilises a come-forward style that dispenses with the inconvenience of a jab, preferring to try and crash his way through his opponent’s defence instead of unlocking his way in.

Smith, on the other hand, is all about the stringent adherence to the sport’s fundamentals.

A high guard, tight elbows, little in the way of head movement, and a long straight jab are the hallmarks of a style that has seen him through since his pro debut all the way back in 2008 against Duncan Cottier at the less than salubrious environs of the Everton Park Sports Centre in Liverpool.

He is straight up and down with no special effects, though deceptively so.

The bookies have made Eubank Jnr the strong favourite to come out on top in Manchester on January 21, which would appear to be a vote of confidence in the man’s confidence more than a reflection of both fighters’ respective records.

Regardless of how much of a favourite the bookies have Eubank, though, Smith will be coming into the ring with pride more than money in mind.

Moving forward and, finally, after a prolonged period of talks normally associated with nuclear detente rather than the affairs of the ring, the Josh Taylor v Jack Catterall rematch has been signed and will take place on March 4 in Glasgow at the Ovo Hydro. 

It will unfold just over a year after their first clash, which saw a weight-drained and out of sorts Taylor take a split decision over the Englishman.

Controversy surrounding the decision and outcome has dogged the Scot ever since.

It resulted in Taylor being transformed from a beloved undisputed light welterweight world champion to villain of the piece, subjected to a barrage of online hate and abuse, some of which was also directed at his partner and family members.

The ocean of bitterness and acrimony that now exists between both fighters makes for a second showdown that will not be for the faint of disposition.

Since their first outing, Taylor has replaced Ben Davison with the highly regarded Joe McNally as trainer, basing himself in Liverpool to train alongside Smith and the rest of a McNally stable that has grown in proportion to his reputation.

For Taylor nothing less than a completely dominant performance and stoppage will do, such is his determination to put things right and prove his newly acquired army of naysayers wrong.

Catterall, meanwhile, will be coming in hoping that even the best version of Taylor won’t have enough to deal with what he brings, which last time round amounted to the ability to continually frustrate and interrupt the Scot’s rhythm. 

Taylor’s biggest strength and paradoxically also weakness is his temperament.

Fight week for him in the lead-up to a fight is less about boxing and more about a square-go around the back, such is his anger and aggression towards whoever he’s scheduled to face.

When Boxxer and Sky decided to build their roster around Taylor, someone clearly neglected to tell them that the Prestonpans native isn’t one for niceties regardless of the setting, especially when in fight mode.

Catterall has managed to get inside Taylor’s head and it will be interesting to see if the latter can keep a harness on his rage until fight night. If not, this is a clash that could well break out long before the ringwalks begin.