Chris Eubank Jr vs Matt Korobov official, Eddie Hearn can't believe it

It has been confirmed that Chris Eubank Jr, inactive since a career-best win over former IBF super-middleweight champion James DeGale in February, will return to 160lbs for his next fight, and it’s a tough one. The Brighton man will meet Russia’s Matt Korobov, a formidable pro and previously excellent amateur, for the WBA Interim belt Eubank has held before, on December 7 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Showtime televise a PBC show headlined by Jermall Charlo vs Dennis Hogan.

Rival promoter Eddie Hearn immediately criticised the move, expressing to Boxing Social incredulity that Eubank would choose a match with Korobov - who the Matchroom boss believes is all wrong for the Brit, style-wise - over the ppv clashes he had put on the table, against old foe Billy Joe Saunders and 168lb leader Callum Smith.

Eubank however has long been a PBC fighter and they tend to pay well. Not only that but the Korobov fight offers a route back to title contention at his more natural weight plus significant exposure to the US market in what will be Chris Jr’s American debut as a pro. Eubank had for some time been in discussions to face Hearn’s super-middle John Ryder on ITV Box Office in the UK but that hit a few snags before being conclusively scuppered by the "Gorilla" challenging Smith in an all-Matchroom fight.

For Eubank, it’s presumably just good to be back. The key question now is who will be coaching him for this crunch clash.