The chief support fight on the under-card at the O2 Arena, in London, saw Chris Eubank Jr take on Gary ?Spike? O?Sullivan in a final eliminator for the world middleweight title held by Daniel Jacobs.
The build-up to the fight had been fruity to say the least with O?Sullivan planting a kiss full on the lips of Eubank Jr at the weigh-in, some reckoned that act may have been the perfect ammunition to fire Eubank Jr up.
With a solitary defeat on his record against Eubank Jr, a fight in which Eubank Jr had been accused of starting the first six rounds slowly, the same accusation couldn?t be levelled against Eubank Jr last night.
Eubank Jr started at a sizzling pace unload combination after combination and looking as if he wanted to stop O?Sullivan with every punch thrown, but the Irish fighter showed that he had a granite chin.
As the relentless pace, set by Eubank Jr continued, O?Sullivan was caught with huge right uppercuts and left hooks but didn?t appear to waiver.
However, the sheer quantity and quality of punches thrown by Eubank Jr was sapping the energy out of O?Sullivan and the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds were so one-sided it looked to be only a matter of time before the fight was stopped.
But when the end did come it was an act of compassion from O?Sullivan?s corner who retired their man at the end of the seventh round, there was no show of anger from O?Sullivan who accepted that he?d given his best but, on the night, Eubank Jr was by far the better fighter.
It remains to be seen when Eubank Jr gets his world title fight against Daniel Jacobs but on the evidence of last night, he appears ready for his opportunity.
Eubank Stops Spike O?Sullivan
