Chris Eubank Jr. hopes to beat Conor Benn next week in London before pushing on for a world title shot.
Eubank has held the British Middleweight title as well as the IBO belt at both middle and super-middleweight, however has not picked up a strap from one of the four major sanctioning bodies.
He fell short in his first attempt at the British belt when he faced Billy Joe Saunders back in 2014, with the latter running out a split decision winner after a competitive fight.
The 35-year-old from Brighton has now put his ambitions for a championship on hold to settle a family feud with Conor Benn after their first scheduled bout was canned due to Benn testing positive for a banned substance.
Speaking on the Up Front podcast, Saunders – who is backing Benn to win – gave an unfiltered view on the ability of his former rival, saying that he would never be a legitimate world champion because he lacks the skill.
“I said it from day one, Eubank will never be world champion. I tell you the reason why, ’cause I’ve been in the ring with him. I know the difference between your David Lemieux, I can see why they’ve been world champions, Andy Lee, even John Ryder.
“He can fight but he can’t box, that’s the problem. When he was 24, 25, he was a wind-up toy, you could get him fit, wind him up and let him go and he’d go all day. Now he’s 33, 34, you’ve got to learn to pick your punches and float around … He’ll never be world champion as long as he’s got a hole in his a**e.”
