Billy Joe Saunders Backs Kell Brook to Beat Eubank Jr on Comeback

Billy Joe Saunders isn't sitting on the fence. The former two-weight world champion has picked Kell Brook to beat Chris Eubank Jr if the pair share a ring later this year, telling talkSPORT that the 40-year-old Sheffield man simply has the better toolkit for the job.

The prediction lands with Brook's comeback now confirmed. He announced his return earlier this month after nearly four years out, having last laced up in February 2022 to stop bitter rival Amir Khan in six rounds. That win closed a chapter. Now Brook says he wants to reopen the book at middle or super-middleweight — the exact weight class Eubank Jr is expected to call home next.

Where Eubank Jr Stands

Eubank Jr, 36, hasn't fought since last November, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Conor Benn. That result squared their series after Eubank took the first meeting by the same margin — both fights contracted at a punishing 160lbs.

The weight told. Eubank looked drained on the scales for both, and the natural move is up to 168. He's since been linked with super-middleweight names including Edgar Berlanga, who carries a 23-2 (18 KO) record, and Michael Zerafa. A Brook fight is the other option on the table.

Benn, for his part, has moved on. Now 25-1 (14 KO), he's booked to face Ryan Garcia next after outpointing Regis Prograis on the cards. The Eubank chapter looks closed on his end.

Why Saunders Leans Brook

Saunders' logic is blunt. He lumped Eubank Jr in with fighters carrying a bit of age who, in his view, aren't especially technical to begin with. Coming from a man who beat Eubank on a split decision back in 2014, it's a familiar shot in a rivalry that never fully cooled.

There's also history here. Saunders used to train alongside Brook, so backing the Sheffield technician over an old adversary was never going to be a hard sell. The bias is baked in, but the reasoning isn't crazy.

Brook at his best was a slick, sharp operator, a former IBF welterweight champion who mixed hand speed with genuine punch variety. The question is how much of that survives a four-year layoff and a jump north in weight. Fighters who return at 40 rarely bring the old legs with them.

What Should Happen Next

For Eubank Jr, the smart route is Berlanga or Zerafa at a comfortable 168 — a fight where he isn't boiling himself dry before the first bell. That's the version of him worth watching, and it's the version Saunders conveniently didn't factor into his pick.

For Brook, a comeback against a fellow name is exactly the sort of soft-focus event British boxing loves. It sells. Whether it makes competitive sense for a man who hasn't fought in nearly four years is another matter entirely.

And Saunders? He's angling too, floating a rematch with the man he already beat over a decade ago. Everyone in this story wants a piece of Eubank Jr. The trick, as ever, is turning talk into a signed contract.