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Eubank packs pedigree punch

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Chris Eubank (@ChrisEubankJr)
Chris Eubank (@ChrisEubankJr)

Johannesburg - Boxing is a sport with a long litany of father-offspring combinations that have succeeded in conquering the world on their own terms.

Chris Eubank Jr’s awesome display in the ring has once again expressed the awesome transfer of talent from parents to their children in sport.

The 27-year-old Briton demonstrated the chemistry between himself and his dad and co-trainer Chris Eubank Sr after beating German Arthur Abraham by a unanimous points decision to retain the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) super-middleweight title at Wembley Arena last Saturday.

The judges scored the fight 118-110, 118-110 and 120-108 in Eubank Jr’s favour. This was a defence of the crown he took by stopping Renold Quinlan in the 10th round at Olympia in Kensington, London, in February.

But the IBO champion can thank his dad – himself a former World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight during his era – for grooming his talent.

Eubank Sr used to absorb considerable punishment during his time as a pugilist.

He shouted instructions at his charge’s corner on the night alongside head mentor Ronnie Davies. By winning, his charge has been guaranteed his spot in the World Boxing Super Series, where eight boxers will battle at super-middleweight for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.

The Eubank combination brings into sharp focus the extent to which fathers who were stars have passed their talent on to their children.

The following are other famous boxing father-offspring combos:

  • Laila Ali, daughter of the legendary former heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali. She competed as a prized fighter in the super-middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions from 1999 to 2007. Among the titles she held were those of the World Boxing Council and the International Women’s Boxing Federation.
  • George Foreman III, son of erstwhile world heavyweight champion George Edward Foreman, had 16 professional fights.Floyd Mayweather Jr is the best fighter of his generation. His father was a stylish fighter who competed from 1974 to 1990, when he fought as a welterweight.
  • Hasim Rahman Jr, is the son of former world heavyweight kingpin Hasim Rahman.
  • Tracy Patterson is a former two-time world champion who fought as a bantamweight and super-featherweight. His dad is former world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson.
  • Cory Spinks, whose father – former heavyweight champion Leon – won the lineal welterweight title. Cory is a three-time, two-weight world titlist.
  • Julio César Chávez Jr held the WBC middleweight title from 2011 to 2012. His dad is Julio César Chávez Sr, the Mexican legend who suffered his first loss in his 91st fight.
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