Eubank happy to make money

Chris Eubank will be fighting to please the bank manager today and not purely to flex his muscles for the rematch on 9 September with Ireland's Steve Collins.

The former World Boxing Organisation super-middleweight champion meets Spain's Jose Igancio Barruetabena in a 10-rounder at Whitley Bay, but insists that his night at the local ice-rink is not designed as a warm- up for his clash with Collins.

"I regard this as a pay day. I'm not fighting to get warmed up, I'm fighting for money," said Eubank, who made very short work of the Argentinian Bruno Goodoy in his one comeback appearance since losing his WBO crown and unbeaten record to Collins in March.

Money, of course, has been Eubank's main motivating factor in his career and the 23-year-old Barruetabena does not threaten to make Eubank work overtime for his latest pay packet.

The Spaniard has netted a decent record of 18 wins and one defeat and is ranked No 10 by the WBO, but his standard of opposition has not been demanding and his sole loss came in his stiffest test, against the unbeaten Russian Andrei Pestriaev.

"I don't really know much about him apart from his record, and judging from that I know I can deal with him," Eubank added. "I'm far more responsible than I've ever been.

"I will get my title back from Collins. But whether I get it back or not, I'm still here, I'm still attracting the crowds."

That will be seen to be true in this fight. Although Eubank has not been able to consistently attract big attendances in London, the provinces have flocked to his bouts - and this one has been a sell-out for some time.

The distance of the fight will depend on which version of Eubank climbs through the ropes, as the ex-champion has the habit of rising or falling to his opponent's level.

n Britain lost two Commonwealth champions yesterday. Heavyweight Henry Akinwande and middleweight Richie Woodhall have been stripped of their titles because they did not make defences against the mandatory challengers.