Could 2023 be Chris Eubank Jr’s year with possible bouts against Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin

Chris Eubank Jr returns to the ring for the first time in 11 months this weekend when he takes on domestic rival Liam Smith in Manchester.

Of course, he was due to fight Conor Benn in October at a sold-out O2 Arena, but that fight was called off at the last minute after his opponent tested positive for two drugs in the buildup.

The last-minute cancellation meant Eubank Jr only fought once in 2022, and inactivity has been a problem for him in recent years, having only been seen in the ring four times since February 2019 when he beat James. DeGale.

Chris Eubank Jr will face Liam Smith in a domestic clash on Saturday night

That victory felt like a defining moment for ‘Next Gen’. After narrow losses to Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves, it seemed like he could always be someone who fell short at the highest level, but his win over DeGale showed he could mix it up with the best.

DeGale had seen better days and subsequently retired after the loss, but Eubank Jr deserved credit, and at 29, he seemed well-prepared to go on to become world champion.

Instead, Eubank Jr’s career has stalled and four years later he is now at a crossroads. The loss to Smith is unthinkable for the 33-year-old and likely spells the end of his world title ambitions.

Eubank Jr has failed to start after beating James DeGale in February 2019

But a win sets up an exciting 2023. Smith is another former world champion and arguably the second best name on Eubank Jr’s resume.

It could take him to a megafight against middleweight king Gennady Golovkin.

Eubank Jr looked set to face Golovkin in September 2016, but Kell Brook jumped ahead of him in the pecking order at the last minute.

At the time, it seemed like an almost impossible task for Eubank Jr to beat the Kazakh star, such was his dominance in the 160-pound division. Seven years later, a showdown between the pair is much more difficult to expect.

Golovkin is now 40 years old and not the fighter he once was. He was easily outpointed by Canelo Alvarez in his trilogy fight in September, and Eubank Jr called him out immediately afterward. He clearly likes the chances on him, and it’s easy to see why after Golovkin’s sub-par display against Canelo.

A win over Smith could give Eubank Jr a chance to face Gennady Golovkin

Canelo Alvarez is another potential opponent for Eubank Jr if he gets past Smith

Then there is Canelo himself. Eubank Jr hasn’t shied away from calling out the popular Mexican over the years, but they’ve never come particularly close to facing each other.

However, that could change if Eubank Jr is able to fire Smith, especially as Canelo has spoken about his desire to box in the UK before hanging up his gloves.

Canelo had a mixed 2022 as he suffered a stunning loss against Dmitry Bivol before rallying to beat Golovkin.

However, he looked somewhat far from his best in the last fight, and Eubank Jr may believe that a fight against the 32-year-old would come at the right time.

In recent years, there has been some uncertainty about where Eubank Jr’s career is headed.

He has moved between middleweight and super middleweight without a big name, then decided to drop down to middleweight to take on Benn.

The fight fizzled out in the end, but if he had gone ahead, would a win really have moved Eubank Jr closer to a title shot?

Eubank Jr has Roy Jones Jr back in his corner and will look to have a great 2023

Benn could return in 2023 if he is cleared of any wrongdoing, and Eubank Jr has admitted he feels there are still unfinished business between the couple.

But for now, his focus should be solely on beating Smith before looking for a fight with Golovkin or Canelo next. Those are the fights that will really show how good Eubank Jr is and show if he is a true world class operator.

At 33, now is the time for Eubank Jr. He’s entering last-chance salon territory, especially with his high-volume approach, a style that doesn’t tend to age well.

With Roy Jones Jr back in his corner, Eubank Jr seems to have an established team. Starting the new year with an impressive victory would be the perfect springboard for him to finally reach his potential in 2023.