LIAM SMITH battered Chris Eubank with a fourth-round assault to settle their simmering feud in sensational style.
Thursday’s press conference was a grubby affair, 34-year-old Smith started it by calling Eubank Jr a c***, then went on to accuse his rival of having his hairline and beard surgically boosted.
ReutersChris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith collided in an eagerly-anticipate domestic dust-up in Manchester[/caption]
GettyBeefy Smith started the fight on the front foot and won the first two rounds[/caption]
GETTYEubank Jr came back strong in the third and rocked Smith a series of uppercuts[/caption]
GETTYEubank Jr got rocked by a hellacious left hook in the fourth[/caption]
GettyThe shot sent Eubank Jr crashing to the canvas[/caption]
The lowest point was when he suggested Eubank Jr was gay and perhaps in a relationship with Brazilian footballer Neymar, who he has played poker with on holidays.
Eubank Jr, who does not share much of his private life online, tried to take the high road but under much provocation, he snapped back and said he had heard rumours that Smith is unfaithful to his missus.
The British Boxing Board of Control are investigating the comments and could hit both men with fines.
It was a needless way to hype a genuine 50-50 fight that feal fans were already excited to see – without any extra needle – but it revved Smith up perfectly and he got his revenge in the best way possible.
A ruthless right-hand-left hook did the damage dropped Eubank Jr first and he was never able to recover and Smith finished him off moments later.
After an even start, Eubank was pounded to the canvas twice and saved by the referee.
Eubank Jr, 33, was booed into the arena by the raging Liverpool fans backing their boy to cause an upset.
There were drinks aimed in his direction but thankfully none of the pints found their target and his entrance was a dry and safe one.
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Eubank kept pinging out his long left jab and landed a few but Smith wanted him to throw it and kept looking to slip and counter with clubbing little hooks.
While the Scousers sang “f*** the Tories”, they shared a couple of clinches and tried to bully and intimidate
Smith enjoyed the second, scoring with a couple of thudding right hands.
Right on the bell, with Eubank Jr under pressure again he ended the stanza with a little shimmy, to try to show that he wasn’t hurt.
In round three, Eubank Jr landed half a dozen rasping uppercuts.
Smith’s high-guard was no match for them as they slashed up through his defence and rocked his head back repeatedly.
But as soon as the fourth round started Smith steamed into his enemy and blitzed him.
A violent volley in Eubank’s own corner folded him into the canvas for an eight count from referee Victor Loughlin and the Hove man never recovered.
Smith raced across the ring and savaged him again.
PAChris Eubank Jr desperately tried to hold onto Liam Smith after being dropped[/caption]
ReutersNext Gen managed to make it back to his feet but was soon back on the canvas[/caption]
REUTERSAn elated Liam Smith celebrates his stunning stoppage of Chris Eubank Jr[/caption]
PALiam Smith was the picture of happiness after emphatically silencing Chris Eubank Jr[/caption]
REUTERSChris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith appeared to squash their beef after the fight[/caption]
Loughlin wisely waved the fight off, with Eubank Jr struggling to stand.
But the beaten man was gutted and disorientated and shoved at the referee in dismay and team-mates from both sides dived in to stop any melee.
Smith will now race on and perhaps fight Kell Brook while Eubank Jr can still fall back on the Conor Benn fight that was cancelled in October.
After having his hand raised, an elated Smith roared: “I knew all week that I could hurt Chris, I have beaten better guys than Chris and I have proven my chin. I have coped with better guys than Chris.
“I was judging the distance better as the fight went on and I knew I would get to him in the end.
“I had said I would hurt him and I wasn’t taking the mick. I knew he could not hurt me and I knew I could hurt him.
“This is the best atmosphere I have ever felt. I said all week that Chris was kidding people about his chin.
“I knew I could hurt him, I knew I was the bigger puncher and that’s a fact.
“If Chris wants the rematch we can do that on my terms.
“I agreed to the rematch clause beforehand so we can see, I can beat all the best fights at 160lbs and 154lbs.”
To make matters worse for Eubank Jr, Benn stuck the boot into him on Twitter moments after the first stoppage loss of his career.
He said: “Oh man, @ChrisEubankJr it’s a good job you didn’t fight me. You’d last two rounds at 160.”