Harlem Eubank back in Brighton - fighter comes home aiming to pick up where uncle Chris left off
- Published
Harlem Eubank is undefeated in 18 pro fights
"It feels pretty special. It's been 32 years since my uncle Chris fought at the same venue, so it's like a marker in my career."
Two years to the very day before Harlem Eubank was born, Chris Eubank Sr fought Dan Sherry to a technical decision victory at the Brighton Centre.
Now aged 29, his nephew Harlem looks to write his own boxing success story in that same place, where he takes on Germany's Timo Schwarzkopf on Friday.
"There's always pressure in this sport. Now I think it's time to take that added pressure and bring a big fight back to Brighton for my local people," Eubank told BBC Sport.
About a three-minute walk away from the Brighton Centre is a road called Trafalgar Lane.
Many local celebrities get drafted up by a local graffiti artist, Fek, including the late comedian Sean Lock, a former Lewes resident.
But for light-welterweight Eubank, the road is another reason why fighting in Brighton is so special.
"It's the same place where they did my cousin [Sebastian] shortly after his passing, so to have something with me on the wall that my friends and family can walk past and see, it feels amazing," he said.
Sebastian Eubank, Harlem's cousin and the son of Eubank Sr, died suddenly in 2021.
"It was very surprising and very special to see it unveiled," Eubank said after a mural of his face was sprayed on the Trafalgar Lane wall in Brighton.
The Eubank name has a special place in Brighton; Harlem is eager to have his own part in that folklore - and to write himself into boxing history.
Eubank Sr joins Team Harlem
Three weeks before the fight, Eubank made a surprise announcement by revealing his uncle would be joining his management team.
Eubank said he was "delighted" to have his uncle "support the next chapter of my career".
But what exactly will the man synonymous with Tina Turner's Simply The Best do as part of his team?
"He's got a wealth of experience behind him," Eubank, undefeated in 18 pro fights, said.
"He's been there, he's done it. He's fought at the highest level. He's going to come in and bring that wisdom.
"There are things that he's passed onto me over the years and, now, it's great to have someone close to me in the build-up to this fight."
Eubank Sr's appointment also comes at a crucial period in his nephew's career. Undefeated in 18 pro fights, Eubank is targeting titles in 2024.
Harlem is the nephew of Chris Eubank Sr and the cousin of fellow pro boxer Chris Eubank Jr
British light-welterweight champion Dalton Smith has been mentioned as a potential opponent.
Eubank says the training camp for the Schwarzkopf fight has been a gruelling process as a result.
Schwarzkopf, 32, is coming off two dominant victories, his most recent a first-round knockout of Spain's Zeus de Armas.
"It's probably been one of the toughest training camps I've ever had. As the challenges and the stage in front of me gets bigger, my training goes up another level and it's gone up a few notches in this camp," Eubank said.
"My body's feeling it now, but I know it's all going to be worth it."
Schwarzkopf is another step up in level. He has just five defeats in 27 fights, including one by Briton Jack Catterall in 2019.
This is not a fight that Eubank is expected to win easily, even with the expectation that comes with his surname.
"I know it's going to be tough, but this is the type of test we wanted coming back to my hometown and I'm excited to entertain my people," he said.
When asked if he ever thinks about losing a fight, Eubank replied: "I never let those thoughts enter my mind.
"I prepare diligently, knowing that I've left no stone unturned. I'm ready to claim what's mine."
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- Published14 January
