It has been almost a year since the former two-time super-middleweight world champion Chris Eubank Jr. stepped inside the squared circle. With a grand vision in mind, the British boxer has rejigged his management team earlier this month. He has now penned a deal with a new promotional company BOXXER. “I’m very excited to have signed with Boxxer and [promoter] Ben Shalom, They fit the direction I want to go in. We have big plans over the next 12 to 24 months,” Eubank Jr. announced. However, what are his “big plans”?

After parting ways with long-time promoter Wasserman Boxing, Eubank Jr. wants to be part of the big league of ‘sweet science’. He is itching to challenge for world titles again and rattled off the names of four esteemed fighters who are in his crosshairs: Canelo Alvarez, Billy Joel Saunders, Conor Benn, Terence Crawford. With the wish list in hand, Eubank’s promoter Ben Shalom got to work.

Starting with one of the P4P greats Canelo Alvarez, Shalom’s team has been in touch with him trying to hammer out a deal. However, talks regarding a potential fight this year have hit a snag. Britain’s younger ever boxing promoter told talkSPORT that Canelo’s promotional team couldn’t “get to a number” that Chris found acceptable for a fight of this magnitude.

Shalom was looking to book Wembley Stadium for the potential showdown but the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight on September 21  put a dampener on his plans. Although the fight won’t happen this year, it isn’t off the table.

“And I do believe that fight is going to happen, but it’s not going to happen in September,” Shalom informed. As things stand, Eubank’s promoter won’t be able to finalize a contract with any of the fighters Chris Eubank Jr. had on his wish list for his upcoming bout. Nonetheless, Shalom wants him in the thick of action as soon as possible. “He’s been out of the ring for a year because a lot of reasons so we want him to be back in the ring again and amongst those big fights,” he stated.  The 34-year-old Brighton native last fought in September last year, outclassing Liam Smith in their middleweight rematch and avenging his loss.

Meanwhile, Canelo has already chosen his target for his next fight.

‘Cinnamon’ makes a strategic choice

According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, the iconic Mexican boxer will face Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in September. The fight will clash with another significant sporting event – UFC 306 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

Berlanga, Canelo’s current opponent, is seven years his junior and has no elite names to his boxing record. So much so, the 27-year-old undefeated boxer has never challenged for the world title before. At this stage of his career, Canelo is looking for easy fights to spruce up his boxing record.

It would take a massive paycheck for Canelo to trade fists with the bigwigs of boxing like Terence Crawford or David Benavidez. If he is going to risk another loss in his career, the least he could do is fill his coffers before bowing out of the fight game.

Meanwhile, who do you think Chris Eubank Jr. will be fighting next? Let us know in the comment section below.