Boxing
Could Eubank loss spell end of the title line for aging Papot?
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David Papot will hope to play away-day spoiler when he travels to London this weekend for a clash against Harlem Eubank.
The Frenchman is coming off his first career loss against now-IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro and hopes to rebuild.
His rival has made little secret of the fact that he sees Papot as a potential ticket to the summit, and a shot at the Australian.
Yet as the bookie's outsider - albeit a narrow one - the onus is on the Briton to deliver his own destiny in London on Saturday.
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Papot won't roll over, though. But if he does come up short, might it have been his own last roll of the dice for a shot at the top?
DAZN News explores whether defeat puts the star out of world title consideration for good - and his options if he does lose too.
What is Papot's pathway to a world title?
Currently unranked by all four major bodies, Papot knows victory against Eubank will change that matter with at least one body.
The Briton is currently on the IBF charts and is seeking a statement result to further hike his reputation and climb up the ladder.
Simply put, a victory for Papot - especially one against an opponent with few blemishes on his record - will bolster his own place.
Victory could catapult him with the IBF firmly into the mix and push him into the mix of contenders bubbling away under Paro.
Put himself in the right crowd, book another ranked foe, and win again - and who knows? Papot could be a legitimate top threat.
What happens if Papot loses?
Defeat at the Copper Box Arena will be more than just a body blow for the Frenchman. It could prove the end of his ambitions.
Despite a strong professional record, Papot knows that boxing is a fickle sport. A loss while unranked will badly wound his status.
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Throw in the fact that it would be a second straight loss - after coming up shy against Paro last year - and the odds further weaken, too.
Other welterweights in far stronger positions have seen their stock crater after two reverses on the trot. Papot does not have that.
At 35, too, he is on the older side for the division, arguably past his peak years. If the chance slips away, it is likely gone for good.
What are Papot's options if so?
Technically, defeat is not the end of Papot's career - far from it, in fact. There will be other fights for the star to pursue if he wishes.
The question will be whether he still believes it is worth the pursuit. A loss to Eubank, three years younger than him, checks momentum.
Plenty of boxers who suffered near-misses continue to fight on. But they risk becoming whetting stones to sharpen other talents.
That may not be the career path that Papot sees for himself. He could elect to call time or instead chase lucrative domestic bouts.
Souleymane Cissokho or Mohamed Mimoune could prove viable options for the latter. But Papot would prefer victory - and he will aim to deliver.
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