Chris Eubank Jr targets return by year's end after health issues

Chris Eubank Jr says he plans to return to the ring by the end of 2026 after spending months recovering from unspecified health problems that he believes compromised his performance in the November rematch loss to Conor Benn.

The 36-year-old middleweight told Bad Left Hook that he is following a strict recovery program and expects to have a few competitive years left before age forces him out. "I'm a fighter. I've always been in love with the sport so I will campaign for as long as I can, until the wheels fall off," Eubank said. "In that last fight you saw a fighter that you know it wasn't me, everyone knows that."

Eubank Jr a free agent with no promoter attached

Eubank confirmed he is not tied to any promoter or broadcaster, which he described as a freeing position that has generated multiple offers. He said the decision on his next opponent will be driven by fan demand rather than a specific must-win fight, though he acknowledged that adding another world title remains a goal.

"There's a lot of names that would make for exciting fights," he said, per the report. "We're listening to the fans, who they want to see me get back in the ring with. So me and my team are weighing up all the options and we'll make a decision soon."

Eubank admitted the health setbacks have put him on a deadline. Once fighters reach their late thirties, he said, maintaining elite form becomes harder with each passing month. He said he is confident the recovery work will restore the version of himself that competed at a high level before the Benn fight, but he knows the window is narrow.

Photo: Csjphotography123 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Original reporting:

• badlefthook.com — Chris Eubank Jr aiming to return by end of the year | Bad Left Hook