Harlem Eubank's tale of his big win over Timo Schwarzkopf

Eubank thrilled a lively Friday night crowd and impressed a Channel 5 television audience when he stopped tough German fighter Timo Schwarzkopf to win a vibrant junior welterweight contest.

It was a homecoming which will live long in the memory as excitement and noise grew during the evening.

Eubank emerged looking pretty much unscathed from his ten-and-a-bit rounds under the lights.

Until, that was, you checked the knuckles on his right hand.

He told The Argus: “I didn’t have any celebrations afterwards.

“We did the UK drug testing, finished the interviews and then I had to go to A&E until 5am.

“It (the knuckle) had split open and we didn’t realise until we took the wraps off and saw the skin on my knuckle had completely split.

“I didn’t take the belt in with me – I went incognito!

“I got it stitched up, got back at five and, with the adrenalin, I still couldn’t sleep. And I did celebrate!”

The event was brilliantly staged by the Brighton Centre and Wasserman Boxing, with anticipation at fever pitch as Schwarzkopf, then Eubank made their way to the canvas.

Eubank said: “It was a perfect night, looking back. It was everything I could have hoped for.

“A great, thriving Brighton crowd out to support in full force.

“The fight entertained and gave people the enjoyment they came out for.”

Fans were on their feet, phones in the air, at one stage in the third round when it seemed Eubank might finish things early.

But Schwarzkopf made it rather more awkward than that and made a real contest of it.

Eubank said: “He has not been down before, he has not been stopped before.

“I hurt him in round three. I knew he was tough and I knew he wasn’t going anywhere easily.

“I half-emptied the tank and then thought ‘be smart’.

“He came back into it, I continued to outbox him and caught him with the magic shot in round 11 to close the show.

“When I landed flush, I knew it was done.

“He got back up but I was thinking, ‘He’s not going to recover from that’.

“It was the perfect moment to close the show and bring it back for the city.”

For those old enough, the event brought back memories of Chris Eubank fighting in the city in the 1990s.

Chris was there on Friday before and after the fight, clearly loving the occasion.

Harlem knows exactly what his uncle brings, saying: ”Experience – it’s great to have that wisdom right next to you when you are going into battle.

“It’s amazing to have that now going forward.”

Harlem has made it clear he would love to fight at the Amex at some stage.

But the compact, noisy surrounds of the Brighton Centre – a cauldron of heat, bright lights and noise on a cold, dark winter’s night – suited him down to the ground on this occasion.

As it did fellow local boys Tommy Welch and Harvey Dykes.

They made sure they fed off that.

Harlem said “It felt extra special, standing up there on the stage ready to walk. I was taking it all in.

“It was a big moment, a special moment.

“Everyone cheering my name and I felt that home city energy.

“It was kind of taking to back full circle and I was here, ready to embrace the moment.

“I was trying to make sure it didn’t affect that mindset I was going into the right mindset.

“I was trying to maintain that calm while taking in that special moment.”