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It isn’t so much that Liam Smith has to go through another fight night with Chris Eubank Jr; it’s more that he has to go through another fight week with him. When the Britons square off at the AO Arena in Manchester in September, it will have been eight months since Smith dropped and stopped Eubank Jr in the same building. Many in boxing labelled the result an upset. Smith certainly did not see it that way. “No one in my team thought it was an upset,” the Liverpudlian, 34, tells The Independent. “No one in my former team, who watched me spar Chris, was gonna think it was an upset. If I’d won that fight on points, people wouldn’t have been surprised. People are just like ‘wow’ because ‘Liam Smith stopped Chris Eubank with a headshot.’ That’s all it is. It got made out like it’s impossible to hurt Chris, like he can’t be hurt. That’s why it was a big surprise for people.” Backed into a corner, overcome by volume and variation, Eubank Jr first hit the canvas 45 seconds into Round 4, slinking to the mat. Barely managing to grip the ropes with his gloves, the Brighton boxer hauled himself to his feet and wobbled to referee Victor Loughlin with his hands by his sides. He almost teetered past Loughlin. Eubank Jr was given the benefit of the doubt, but within 20 seconds he was down again, tumbling into the ropes as he fell. This time, despite another quick climb from the canvas, the 33-year-old was saved by the referee. Smith was walking away, with his back to Eubank Jr and the official, when the fight was waved off. The sound of the crowd tipped off Smith to the result, before he even had a chance to turn around and see for himself. Then, the jubilation set in. “I enjoyed every bit of it,” Smith says. “My ring walk, the changing room beforehand and after. You ask anyone around me, they know I enjoy everything until the moment I need to switch on. When I get down to the bottom of the ramp, I’m business-like. I wish I could have that week back, it was a great week. “If you asked about the three brothers, people would always say, ‘Liam enjoys it the most, he enjoys a fight night the most,’” he says, referring to Stephen and Callum, the latter of whom is an ex-world champion like Liam. “I remember saying to them, ‘There’s no better feeling than making that ring walk,’ and they were like, ‘You’re mad! There’s no better feeling than walking back to the changing room, knowing you’ve won!’” Although the fight was a successful foray up to middleweight for the former super-welterweight champion, the lead-up – containing comments that crossed a line at times – was altogether less enjoyable, Smith says. However, that is not for the reasons one might expect. “A lot people used to think Chris was getting under my skin,” Smith says. “I don’t lose sleep over Chris, he doesn’t change my day. Me and Chris’s personalities... Somebody with Chris’s persona is just someone I wouldn’t get on with in any form of life. “I just don't like them type of divas, who think everything’s got to revolve around them. In the build-up to the last fight, we were waiting on him a lot with promotion stuff, head-to-heads. It was on Sky Sports Box Office and the people trying to produce the advert were asking us, ‘Can you meet in the middle of the ring and touch gloves with two hands?’ He was like: ‘No, I don’t touch gloves with two hands.’ “He was just being a nuisance, petty, spoilt, a diva. I just thought: ‘It’s nothing to me, you’re not doing my head in, but these people are trying to do a promotion. You know what you signed up for, just do it.’ He was just a nightmare – for other people really; I didn’t give a s*** about it.” The build to the pair’s rematch has begun, and Smith will hope for a smoother ride en route to what may even be his final fight. That, however, depends on the result, with the Scouser having claimed that his next loss would herald his retirement. “I shouldn’t really lose to Chris. I’m a better fighter than him, there’s not really a thought of defeat,” Smith stresses, but there are thoughts on life after boxing. “It’s tough. I’ve got two gorgeous little girls, who I’m still fighting for and trying to secure the rest of their futures, give them an easier start in life. They’ve changed my perspective on boxing and life in general. “I’ll take it as it comes,” he continues, pondering what retirement might look like. “I’ve got a good family and once I’m done with boxing, I can put my whole energy and time into my girls and giving them some memories that I’ve probably missed now. There are certain things that I can’t do now – certain holidays that I can’t go on – but once I’m done, I’ll have enough time to give them some memories for life. There’s a little bucket list with them two: things that they’ll enjoy, places where they’ll smile.” When Smith takes on Eubank Jr at the AO Arena, he will be returning to a place where he did plenty of smiling and where he did the thing he enjoys most. SMITH vs EUBANK II: REPEAT OR REVENGE? takes place on Saturday 2 September at the AO Arena in Manchester. It will be shown live exclusively on Sky Sports Box Office. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday 25 July. Fans can access tickets now at Boxxer.com. 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Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is ready for the challenge a midfield overhaul will bring next season and is confident he and the team can rediscover the consistency which will allow them to close the gap to Manchester City. Midfield is the key area which needs a refresh this summer and, with the club confirming on Wednesday the departures of veteran James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – in addition to forward Roberto Firmino – there will be some new faces for the next campaign. Henderson will be 33 by then and entering his 13th season at the club but is relishing the competition which he may face, with Liverpool interested in Brighton’s Argentinian World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister as one of their options. “I don’t think it’s a rebuild to be honest. I do think there will be new players coming in. A rebuild is changing an entire team – which I don’t think we will be doing,” Henderson, speaking at NHS Charities Together event at a school in Crewe, told the PA news agency. “I think you have a lot of core players in the team that will still be there and are still in great shape to compete and be successful. “But yes, it will need freshening up of course with players leaving and trying to improve the team. “I am sure players will be coming in at some point to give us a boost and freshen things up a bit and hopefully put us in good position come the first game of the season.” On what that means for him personally he added: “It’s always a challenge, especially at Liverpool, there will always be challenges for places and to play games. “That’s the case ever since I came to the club. Come pre-season I’ll be ready for the challenge again. “Motivation never changes really, it is always about improving and being better, individually and as a team. “Always new challenges come along, different things will happen and you will have new challenges throughout the season. I am sure players will be coming in at some point to give us a boost and freshen things up a bit Jordan Henderson on potential summer signings “There is always a challenge in football to improve, to be better and that motivation always stayed the same to be successful. “I’m confident we can reach the levels we are capable of again, definitely. We have shown that over the past six or seven games and it’s about continuing on that path from now until the end of the season and (next season) pick up where we left off hopefully.” Henderson is an ambassador for NHS Charities Together and was at Springfield School in Crewe, which caters for four to 19-year-olds with a range of disabilities and learning difficulties, after they won a prize draw having been involved in the annual NHS Big Tea fundraiser, which this year takes place on the health service’s 75th anniversary on July 5. The England international, who spearheaded the PlayersTogether initiative which encouraged professional footballers to donate to the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic, has an affinity with the NHS after his father Brian was treated for mouth and throat cancer. “My dad probably wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for the NHS staff, he’d say that himself,” added Henderson. “I’ve got family members who work within the NHS and know how difficult it’s been, especially over the last few years with the pandemic. “I’ve been doing work at different hospitals up and down the country as well and it’s been amazing to see the behind-the-scenes stuff and get to see some of the staff.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Football rumours: PSG weighing up new bid for Man City midfielder Bernardo Silva On this day 2016 – Liverpool lose to Sevilla in Europa League final Man City crush holders to book Champions League final return