Eubank's serious about comeback (From The Argus)

Eubank's serious about comeback

5:00pm Monday 4th June 2012 in Sport By Mike Legg

Chris Eubank has told The Argus he is serious about a sensational return to the ring.

The 45-year-old, a former WBO middleweight and super middleweight champion, says his appetite has been whetted again by his two eldest sons’ passion for the sport and a desire to help them progress to the top.

Middleweight Chris junior, 22, has made a perfect start to his professional career with four wins to rise up the British rankings while Sebastian, 20, has picked up the gloves and has had two victories as an amateur fighting out of the Brighton and Hove club.

A spokesman for Eubank exclusively revealed to The Argus the former champion’s reasons behind a shock return to boxing.

He said: “Chris (senior) feels there is no better way to teach Chris and Sebastian about boxing than for him to get back into shape and return to the ring.

“If he can rebuild his own body and get back to fighting fitness, then he can get back in the ring and show them how it is done.”

But Eubank, who is regarded as a legend of the ring by many fight fans, insists that he will only pull the gloves on again if he has the backing of the public.

Eubank told The Sun: “It is important that my many fans condone me going back into the ring.

“First I would needed public backing. I would never want to do anything to compromise the respect I seem to have as a boxer.”

Eubank also revealed that he would love to fight on the same bill as Chris Jr against his old foe Nigel Benn.

He said: “I’m a light-heavyweight now and when I look at 47-year-old Bernard Hopkins I think, ‘If he can do it, why can't I?’ “To get back into the gym? Wow. To be hit again, to be hit in the chest, to be able to withstand a shot to the face, that is a dream for me, it is my fantasy.

“I was even talking to Nigel Benn and I said: 'Come on kid, we've got to get it back on'.

“It would be a fantasy for me to actually box again, especially on the same bill as my son.”

Eubank, who was known for his grand ring entrances and went by the nickname Simply The Best, retired almost 14 years ago after he lost to Carl Thompson for the WBO Cruiserwight title.