Chris Eubank Jr says Liam Williams is ‘a keyboard warrior’ ahead of grudge match | Boxing News
Chris Eubank Jr has accused Liam Williams of being “a keyboard warrior” ahead of their fight on Saturday.
Eubank Jr will head to Williams’ home city of Cardiff on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, to finally settle a bitter feud that began on social media.
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Saturday 5th February 7:30pm
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Eubank Jr admits he was asked to leave his first private school and his famous father did not react well
Having previously exchanged words on social media, the pair met face to face on The Gloves Are Off, which is available On Demand now, and Eubank Jr felt Williams was more reserved in person than he had been previously online.
“It’s real for me. Is it real for him? He had a lot to say on social media over the last couple of years that he wasn’t able to articulate when I stood in front of him at the press conference,” Eubank Jr told Sky Sports.
“Maybe he isn’t real, maybe he is fake. He is a keyboard warrior, just like all the other guys. He has a lot to say with his thumbs, but when the time comes and he’s in front of the man he’s supposed to say it to, he backs down and I don’t respect that.
“At the end of the day, all that matters is what happens on February 5, and that is going to be me dominating him from round one.”
‘I search for social media trolls!’
Eubank Jr also revealed he searches for messages directed at him from social media trolls because he “enjoys it”.
The 32-year-old says his approach to dealing with social media has come full circle since the start of his career.
Asked if he is able to shut out online criticism, Eubank Jr told Sky Sports: “Of course I am now. At first I wasn’t – I never imagined that I would be on my phone or computer and I’m seeing all these people saying all this crazy, really bad stuff.
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Eubank Jr recalls being sent to America at the age of 16 by his father to see if he was serious about becoming a fighter
“It’s like, ‘what did I do to you? I’m not this guy that you’re trying to say I am’. At first it made me angry, when I was younger, starting out. I guess I would just take my frustration out on my sparring partners and then my opponents. That’s the only thing I could do.
“So in actual fact the trolls actually helped me early in my career because they made me really want it. ‘Who the hell are these guys saying all this stuff? Watch what I do’.
“Now if I’m having a bad day, or I’m bored, I’ll go on social media and I’ll actually search for the trolls, because it makes me laugh, I enjoy it.
“I actually laugh about it now, which is the complete opposite to how it used to be when I was 22. Some people just really seem to not enjoy watching other people live their lives or having fun, but they’re still on social media monitoring every day, which just blows my mind, but it’s funny to me.”
Sky Sports Boxing schedule
Saturday February 5 in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin – IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles
Saturday February 19 in Manchester
Amir Khan vs Kell Brook
Natasha Jonas vs Ewa Piatkowska – WBO super-welterweight title
Frazer Clarke’s pro debut
Saturday February 26 in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall – undisputed super-lightweight titles
Nick Campbell vs Jay McFarlane – Scottish heavyweight title
Saturday March 5 in Fresno
Jose Ramirez vs Jose Pedraza
Saturday March 12 in Newcastle
Savannah Marshall vs Femke Hermans – WBO middleweight title
Sunday March 20 in New York
Edgar Berlanga vs Steve Rolls
Keyshawn Davis
Xander Zayas
