Harlem Eubank x SCTR

Harlem grew up with his uncle Chris a two-weight world champion and British legend while dad Simon was a respected journeyman and cousin Chris Jr a pay-per-view star.

But Harlem was a late bloomer in the sport – although the weight of expectation was something he realised from early.

“It’s one of those things, if you go into it you’re going to have to be pretty good straight away because you’ve got a target on your back and you haven’t got the skills to carry the weight of that name. So, it’s not something I got into until late.”

Harlem – who briefly competed in karate from the age of seven to 11 – originally chose football as his preferred sport in an escape from what made his family so famous.

And he went on to play for Brighton & Hove’s academy with his sights set on the Premier League.

Harlem did get a taste of the family business when he began boxing at 14 to help gain a fitness edge on the pitch.

And before long, intrigue got the better of him and an amateur bout was arranged in London, but his opponent found out about his ruthless surname and pulled out.

Word got around the dressing room about Harlem’s proposed boxing bout and it did not go down well with his manager.

“My coach pulled me aside and said, ‘You can’t box and play for us at the same time because if we select you and you get injured, it’s not going to work out.'” Harlem remembers.

“So at that point, I completely left boxing and I didn’t go into it until I was 18 years old.”

Harlem was prepared to focus all his efforts on football until he was suddenly released by Brighton at 16.

He was even ready to drop down the levels and play for Lewes but before long, he fell out of love for the sport. Around the same time, he had a new love interest.

Harlem soon began boxing as an amatuer for Brighton & Hove, the same gym where cousin Chris Jr learned the ropes in this country, and the 18-year-old was on a crash course to catch up.

“I always knew what the family had done in the sport, so I wanted to pick it up quick and make sure I’m on a fast track because I started so late,” he says.

“There was a lot to learn in a short space of time, I was always aware of that but I’ve applied myself and tried to put in more hours than my peers around me.”

Chris Sr famously banned his son Jr from boxing. And, in a reality show aired on TV, it was heavyweight icon Lennox Lewis that convinced his friend to allow Jr to try his hand at boxing.

For Harlem, he had no hero’s of the sport to fight his corner. Instead, he had to prove his worth to his father with hard work and results.

“As a dad, you know the hardships of the sport and you never want that for your son,” he says.

“But I think it’s one of those things where they don’t pick it for you but when they see you going to the gym off your own back and you’re willing to work hard and apply yourself, they don’t have anything against it. It’s not something they’d pick for you but it’s in the blood, it’s in the DNA.”

Harlem, just like cousin Chris Jr, had boxing eyeballs on him right from the start but it proved a blessing in disguise.

“You always have that target on your head when you have that name,” he says.

“Especially if you’re inexperienced people see it as an opportunity for them to promote themselves and springboard themselves and get something over on you or the name.

“But honestly, what it does is make everyone prepare differently for you. Every fight you know you’re getting 110 or 120 percent of that person.

“You know you’re getting their best regardless of what they have done before. It kind of pushes you to know you have to prepare every fight 100 percent like it’s a world title fight.”

Harlem not only had the experience of his uncle and nephew to fall back on over the years but also his world-class training partners.

He is coached by Charlie Beatt and managed by Adam Booth.In that same stable has been the likes of 2016 Olympian Josh Kelly and world title challenger Michael Conlan.

“It’s great to be around solid fighters, there’s always been great fighters in the gym,” Harlem reveals.

“I’ve picked up a lot from those fighters across the years and developed and I think you need that, coming from a place of less experience.

“You need to be able to see the work rate, the skills of more developed fighters and take bits on board from everyone. That’s what moulds you into a great fighter.”

Harlem also welcomed the addition of uncle Chris to his team in an official capacity earlier in the year.

It followed after the tragic death of Harlem’s father and former fighter Simon and the partnership was actually born at the funeral.

“He’s always kept a close eye on my career and been there to give me numerous amounts of advice and steer me on the right direction,” Harlem reveals.

“He’s always been keen to be involved in my career as well and I think it was just the right timing. It actually happened really at my dad’s funeral where he was asking more questions.

“From there it spiralled and that’s probably the moment where the spark went off in his head and he was keen to jump on board and get involved in my career.”

Harlem is now in talks to fight 11-0 British and European super-lightweight champion Adam Azim next.

It comes as he rises the 140lb title ranks in search of a first world title shot while also opening the door to a move to welterweight.

And guiding him all the way? His uncle, the great Chris Eubank Sr.

“It’s great to have someone like that besides you when you’re going into big fights,” Harlem says.

“I’m working away and training hard, developing every day in the gym. I’m looking forward to showing the 2.0 in the next fight and stepping on the gas.

“I want the big fights, I want the big names and I want to be world champion. So whichever step makes sense to move towards that world championship goal, they’re the steps we’ll move towards.”

Harlem has always relied on hard work and dedication rather than the value of his famous fighting surname.

He has put the hard yards in away from the bright lights, developing behind the scenes into one of the hottest prospects in Britain.

And his advice to young fighters and athletes alike?

“I would say, stay patient, surround yourself with good people and make the main priority mastering your craft, be the best that you can be and work on that every day,” Harlem reveals.