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“On the 13th of this month, we buried my brother.” Those are the first words out of Chris Eubank’s mouth after he takes a seat beside his nephew Harlem, son to the late Simon Eubank, in a Westminster high-rise on an October afternoon. Loss has been far too rife in the Eubank family in recent years. Simon’s death, at the age of 61, came two years after the passing of Chris’s son Sebastian, who was just 29 when he died of a reported heart attack – the same age that Harlem is now. But Chris and Harlem are not focusing on endings. They are focusing on beginnings. Both think in “spiritual” terms. They make that clear. “Divine intervention” brought the icon and the contender together, as Harlem puts it, while Chris describes Simon’s death as the former boxer having “now left this dimension”. It was at Simon’s funeral that Harlem and Chris connected in a way that they had not done previously. Now, Harlem is Chris’s “son”, the former two-weight world champion stresses repeatedly. “This is our life, this is more than boxing,” Harlem tells The Independent, reflecting on the bond behind the new partnership, which has been forged in the lead-up to his fight with Timo Schwarzkopf on 10 November – and a year after Chris’s split from his son Jr. “To have each other close and to have him by my side is very important, it’s a big deal. Boxing is a spiritual experience. You’re going into the fire, and it means the world to have my uncle Chris, who is a king of this realm, by my side.” Chris, meanwhile, takes a moment and a breath before weighing in. “What does it mean?” The 57-year-old has always taken his time choosing his words, and it has always made him a mesmeric orator. “It means I’m delighted. Delighted. I’ve given him tips over the years, and every tip I’ve given him, I’ve seen him actually carry them out in fights. Even just coming up from Brighton this morning in the car, the amount of information that I’ve been able to give him, it’s like: ‘Is he gonna be able to actually take on board this much experience and wisdom? Not only in boxing, but also to do with the media, the public, being still. Is it going to overload him?’ But it’s fun. When I get up, I pull him up; and when he gets up, he pulls me up.” By the end of the day, the duo will be back in Brighton, where their fighting family have roots – including Simon’s twin brother Peter, and Chris’s son Jr. It is there that the unbeaten Harlem will box Schwarzkopf, marking the Brighton Centre’s first fight night since 1991, when Chris retained his WBO middleweight title. Three years after that bout, to the day, Harlem was born. Some will call it coincidence; Harlem, with his feel for the spiritual and the divine, might point to something more. The 29-year-old also has a feel for philosophy. “I think I’ve always been attracted to philosophy, and the philosophy of fighting, because it’s so real,” Harlem says. “There’s nothing fake about it. When you step in the ring, you see someone’s personality in true form.” “It’s the only vocation that’s real,” Chris concurs. “Almost all vocations are pretend, but when you get hit, there’s no pretence behind it. I think of our trainer, Charlie; he’s a fireman, and he’s beautifully placed, because his spirit teaches what Harlem has to do when he’s in a fight. If it’s not going your way, you’ve got to stay in that fight, and if you get knocked down, you’ve got to get up and run back into the fire. Do you have the courage, the testicular fortitude to do what most people can’t do?” Chris, wearing a glinting badge in acknowledgement of Charlie’s service and his own unique role as a US city marshal, turns to Harlem. “I was gonna say, ‘I pray it doesn’t happen to you.’ Sorry, it’s not like that; I pray it does happen, because that’s how you cut yourself away from the rest of the pack. “That’s the warrior, and that’s why we’re creatures of irony, because we really are here to protect and bring peace, but in the ring we’re fierce!” Chris leans forward as he says it, contorting his face into a mock kind of menace. Now, he is posturing as only he can. Then, he leans back and laughs. “Sorry, I’m taking over the interview, but this is why I’m here, because I’ve got to give you copy!” Chris, who places much focus on the idea of “protecting” Harlem, takes over a few times. I wonder if Harlem minds, but he smiles softly as if to suggest he doesn’t. I certainly don’t – as keen as I am to hear from Harlem. When I ask the younger Eubank what he will be thinking as he emerges in front of a home crowd in Brighton, he manages, “You don’t have time for thoughts. I’m ready, I’m ready to go, I’m ready to––” “Inflict punishment,” Chris cuts in, before apologising to Harlem again. “I’m sorry! But that’s what I’m here to teach: He has to inflict legal punishment on his adversary. That’s right. I’m gonna teach you a quote by...” he searches for the name, thinking of Samuel Johnson but saying Winston Churchill. “‘Treating your adversary with respect is giving him an advantage to which he is not entitled.’ So, treating your adversary with respect is striking soft in battle. The battle has already started, Harlem’s job is to eviscerate them. We’re here to smash it, we’re going to smash it.” Again, Chris is posturing in trademark fashion. “When you walk into that arena,” he continues, “and you hear the crowds booing you – or cheering, but it’s better when they boo – oooh, it’s beautiful!” There will be no boos in Brighton. Harlem will be the hero, Chris his mentor. But for all that Chris feels he can teach his new mentee, he effuses about his nephew’s learnings so far. To Chris, Harlem is a “pure” soul and a “sweetheart”. As a boxer? “Beautiful, brilliant, sugar.” They will hope for a sweet homecoming. Harlem Eubank vs Timo Schwarzkopf will air live on Channel 5 on Friday 10 November. Coverage begins at 10pm GMT, with ring walks due at 10.05pm. Read More Harlem Eubank is the latest brick in a house of glory and grief What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout? The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout? The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings Jake Paul’s next fight confirmed as ‘toughest’ opponent yet revealed

A list of the ten oldest players to ever score a Champions League goal, including Manchester United's Ryan Giggs, Milan's Paolo Maldini and Roma's Francesco Totti

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Bruno Fernandes knows Manchester United have a “mountain to climb” if they are to keep their Champions League campaign alive following Wednesday’s chaotic late defeat at Copenhagen. A night that began with talented Rasmus Hojlund’s brace against his former club ended in a crushing 4-3 loss sparked by Marcus Rashford’s contentious red card late in the first half. United boss Erik ten Hag was unhappy with that decision and disputed the Copenhagen goals that quickly followed from Mohamed Elyounoussi and Diogo Goncalves. Fernandes put Ten Hag’s 10 men back ahead from the penalty spot in the second half, only for Lukas Lerager and substitute Roony Bardghji to inflict United’s third defeat in four Group A games. It leaves the Red Devils bottom and facing an early Champions League exit, with defeat at Galatasaray sealing that before hosting already-qualified leaders Bayern Munich in their final match. “We have a mountain to climb, so we must climb,” captain Fernandes told UEFA after the defeat at Parken. “We have two games and we have to win those two games. “Before tonight, our aim already was to win our remaining three games. We couldn’t win today. We have to win the next two.” Fernandes continued that theme when speaking to MUTV, saying: “You have to win them if you want to keep in the Champions League and stay in the best competition. “We have to win against the best, so we have a really tough game away against Galatasaray and after, we play against the top of the group. “We want to win both but now we have to focus on Luton (in the Premier League on Saturday) because it’s going to be a tough game again. “We need three points in the league, we need to get back to the winning track after this defeat and keeping on the winning track in the Premier League.” Obviously the mood is not the best because I think we've fought so hard with 10 men Bruno Fernandes United’s clash with promoted Luton will be key to the mood around Old Trafford heading into the international break. Defeat in Saturday’s Premier League match would send the club into a tailspin on the back of some poor performances and a galling loss in Denmark. “I think for everything we did in the game, we could – and we should – have got something from the game,” disappointed skipper Fernandes said. “It’s difficult at the moment. Obviously the mood is not the best because I think we’ve fought so hard with 10 men. “Even from then, it was playing against a team that plays really good on the ball and apart from that, many decisions that were against us. “Today was a tough day but I think the team effort was good, we tried. “We could have done some things better, but it was difficult for us from the 30 minutes on, playing with one player less.” Rashford’s red card is sure to be pored over in the aftermath but United dealt well with being a man down after half-time. “Yeah, of course, we understood that we could get something from the game, we could win the game there,” Fernandes added. “But obviously, as we said, it’s difficult to play so long with 10 men. “In some moments they will get spaces because you’re running behind the ball, you’re trying to get into everywhere with every player. “It’s difficult to cover so much space and they got their two goals to win the game.” Read More Los Angeles Angels appoint veteran former Texas Rangers boss Ron Washington Will Perrett up for another battle against the odds as he targets the Olympics Michael Vaughan: England should secure Champions Trophy spot for next generation Football rumours: Newcastle interested in Kalvin Phillips and Ruben Neves On this day in 2007: Warren Gatland appointed Wales boss Sarina Wiegman ‘in good place’ with England and not looking at job in men’s game

A new clip of a heated moment between footballing legends David Beckham and Thierry Henry has come to light, as the pair seemingly feud over a packet of crisps. In the footage, which looks like it's taken from behind-the-scenes of a new advert for Lays, Beckham offers Henry some of his snacks, and is disgruntled to find the Frenchman has scoffed the lot. "Seriously? Wow", a straight-faced Beckham asks. We get it. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter