British boxer Chris Eubank Jr said he feared being only seen as “Chris Eubank’s son” for the rest of his life.
The Hove-born boxer, who will take on Liam Smith in a middleweight bout, has spoken about trying to make his mark on the boxing world.
Now Eubank Jr, 33, is looking to continue an eight-fight winning streak, saying that he has done “too much” to be “the son of”.
Eubank Jr, a former super-middleweight champion, told the BBC: "I knew I needed to stamp my own mark into history, into the boxing world, into life.
"I knew that if I kind of just coasted and did whatever I wanted to do and didn't take anything seriously then that's all I would be. 'Oh that's Chris Eubank's son.' That's what I'd be for the rest of my life.
"I've done too much to be 'the son of'. I am still the son and I always will be. But people are not coming up to me because I am the son of Chris Eubank, they're coming up to me because of what I've done and who I am.
"And that's really all I wanted from the beginning."
Chris Eubank Jr, who made his professional debut in 2011 and has a 32-2 record in the ring, has said he still wants to win a middleweight title.
His father, Chris Eubank Sr, was a two-weight world champion and regularly accompanied his son to the ring.
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On his relationship with his father, Eubank Jr also told the BBC: "I would see it. 'He doesn't go anywhere without his dad.' As a man, it kind of gets to you. My dad was great, he is great, but I'm great too.
"Let me show my personality. It's very hard to do that when you have a huge personality like my old man right next to you talking.
"When I realised that, I said to him: 'You're going to have to give me some space in certain areas.' He understood and we're great. We're still close."
Chris Eubank Jr will fight Liam Smith on Saturday, January 21, at the AO Arena in Manchester.
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