CHRIS EUBANK Jr has never fought in the Middle East – but he’s done a few rounds with a sheikh.

Eubank Jr meets Irishman JJ McDonagh tonight in a ten-rounder non-title fight on the undercard of the World Boxing Super Series super-middleweight final between George Groves and Callum Smith.

The final takes place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the King Abdullah Sports City, and will be the biggest boxing event ever held in the country.

Eubank Jr is no stranger to the region and knows all about the wealth after spending time training sheikh Khalifa bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Eubank told The Argus: “I think it’s the first mainstream boxing event they have had in Saudi Arabia.

“That’s where the money is. You have the rich and famous – and then you have the sheikhs.

“People do not understand the types of money these guys have.

“I have seen it. I trained one of the sheikhs in Abu Dhabi – Sheikh Khalifa bin Sultan Al Nahyan – for a few months.

“He loved boxing and he wanted me to personally train him – and you can’t say no to the sheikh!

“I sparred with him, well when I say sparred, I was moving around with him, showing him punches, but you could see his security guys watching my every move.

“It was like, ‘don’t you hurt the sheikh’.

“When people in the army saw him they would stand to attention and salute.”

He added: “So I’ve had a lot of experience out there in the Middle East. I love the place, love the culture and the people. It will be a pleasure to fight out there.”

The heat will be on Eubank tonight when he meets 6ft 2in southpaw McDonagh, who is managed by Brighton’s Assassin Promotions.

Eubank has not fought since his unanimous points decision loss to Groves in the WBSS semi-final last February in Manchester. This fight was taken at short notice but Eubank says he has kept himself in shape while spending time out in Las Vegas.

And he believes training in the the heat of Nevada will stand him in good stead for this evening when it could be 32C.

He said: “You are there at altitude, you’re in the desert and high above sea level, which makes the training even harder, especially when they don’t have any type of air conditioning in these gyms.

“It’s like you are walking into an oven and you have to do rounds on the bag, sparring and time on the pads.

“I am happy with my condition, although, when you don’t have that set target with an opponent, date and fight, it’s harder to treat it like a training camp.

“It’s in the back of your mind whether you are going to fight and it’s tough. But I did what I needed to do and I am in good shape for the fight.”

His display against Groves drew criticism, with TV pundit Naseem Hamed the most vocal on the night and suggesting he should retire.

Asked if he had changed anything since that fight over the last six months, Eubank replied: “I have been working on things that I need to work on.

“That’s the best way I can put it.

“Nobody is perfect and we’re all still learning and learning until the day we retire.

“I have worked on the things I believe I need to improve on. And I am still working on them.

“It’s just up to me to showcase those things and progress as a fighter.”

Tonight fight fans will get to see what – if anything – Eubank has changed in a fight he cannot afford to lose as he plots a ‘blockbuster’ showdown against an unnamed opponent by the end of the year.