Boxing: Eubank hoping to avoid close call

CHRIS EUBANK will step into the intimidating atmosphere of Belfast's King's Hall tonight, attempting to set the record straight. It is a year and a week since the fight with Ray Close that almost cost him his World Boxing Organisation super- middleweight title.

Only an 11th-round knockdown gave Eubank a draw and preserved his belt that night, although the champion scarcely seemed to realise it at the time.

Their first fight was in Glasgow, but tonight Close is on home ground and Eubank knows he will have to be as sharp as at any time in his undefeated career.

Since the first Close encounter, Eubank's trainer, Ronnie Davies, has managed to persuade Eubank to train privately for big fights, rather than putting on shows for the public.

'Chris would definitely have got beaten if he had continued to prepare with public work-outs,' Davies said. 'He just couldn't concentrate. It has taken 18 months to get my own way with him.'

Now that he has got his own way, Davies has no doubts about his man: 'Now I think he's 10 times the boxer he was when he last met Close. I think Close is in for a real shock in this fight. I think Close will be stopped because I don't think he is in the same league.'