Ben Shalom Responds to Chris Eubank Jr's 'Funny' Free Agency Claim

Six months after suffering a loss to Conor Benn in a rematch, Chris Eubank Jr. announced that he was free from BOXXER and is now a free agent. To nobody's surprise, Ben Shalom is not going down easily.

Eubank signed with BOXXER in mid-2024, ahead of his IBO middleweight title fight win over Kamil Szeremeta. He had fought on Shalom-promoted events before and officially joined forces with the young promoter after his multi-year deal with Wasserman Boxing expired.

In total, Eubank has only fought three times since signing an exclusive deal with BOXXER. After beating Szeremeta, Eubank's last two fights were his two-chapter rivalry with Conor Benn, both of which were primarily promoted by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing.

Ben Shalom responds to Chris Eubank's claim

Eubank made the announcement on X, tweeting that he is "completely a free agent" with "no ties, no promoter" on May 5. It did not take long for the BOXXER promoter to reject that claim, saying that Eubank's contract has not ended and he remains with the company.

"It hasn't ended, so no," Shalom said while laughing, via Pro Boxing Fans. "It's funny because I've got a good relationship with Chris, but you know, that's all I can say right now. That's the reality."

When asked if he would be promoting Eubank's next fight, Shalom gave a confident, "yes."

Eubank, 36, has hinted at his impending retirement on multiple occasions without directly stating it, suggesting his next deal could very likely be his last. He is currently only ranked by Ring Magazine, which has him No. 7 in its middleweight rankings.

Chris Eubank Jr. latest fighter to speak out against Ben Shalom

Eubank is one of several current or former BOXXER fighters who have spoken out against Shalom and have openly campaigned to leave the promotion. Ben Whittaker, Chris Billam-Smith and Martin Bakole have placed blame on BOXXER, left the promotion, or are actively campaigning to do so.

Eubank's signing was a significant move for BOXXER at the time. Shalom, the youngest promoter in British boxing history, rebranded the company into a major boxing promotion in 2020, making 'Next Gen' one of the first former champions to align with the upstart organization.

The 31-year-old Shalom has plenty of time to recoup, but BOXXER appears to be in rapid decline. The promotion has held fewer annual events each year since shifting from a tournament-style format to a major promotion in 2021. It has only held three events in 2026 thus far, with one more scheduled for May 30.

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