Chris Eubank Jr brings ‘invaluable’ Roy Jones back as his trainer ahead of Liam Smith fight | Boxing News

Roy Jones joined Chris Eubank Jr in camp in Brighton this week to train him for his clash with Liam Smith next month.

Eubank and Smith will fight at the AO Arena in Manchester on January 21, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The 33-year-old is training for the contest at his base in Brighton, as he did for the now-cancelled bout with Conor Benn, but this time around he has brought back Jones, the boxing legend turned trainer, as his main coach.

“Roy is invaluable,” Eubank told Sky Sports.

“The energy he brings, the wisdom he brings, the advice and tutelage, it’s unmatched. It’s going to be very fun and interesting to see what he can bring into my preparation for Liam Smith.”

Liverpool’s Smith, a former world champion, has taken exception to Eubank claiming their upcoming bout would be an easier one for him than Benn would have been.

Smith insists bringing Jones back proves Eubank Jr is actually anticipating a harder fight in Manchester.

“If I’m an ‘easier fight’ than Conor Benn, why are you phoning Roy Jones saying I need you to train me for Liam Smith? You didn’t need him for Conor Benn,” declared Smith, when speaking to Sky Sports.

“Why are you getting back Roy Jones, who was one of the best fighters in the world, if I’m an easier fight?

“He can try and be a clown all he wants but I’m too clever and I’m too clever with my mouth for him too. Yeah, I’m an ‘easier fight’ but you’re still going to pay Roy Jones instead of training yourself.

“Chris has seen my interviews beforehand. I know he plays the game, he’s seen when I said he can’t be 60 per cent for this one and he knows that. So he’s obviously seen that and come with the other angle: I’m ‘an easier fight’.

“If he feels that, good on him, I’ll wipe the floor with him. I’ll wipe the floor with him if he believes that.”

Tickets for Eubank vs Smith are available via Boxxer.com