Sam Eggington has been in the news recently, but probably not for the reasons he’d like. You see, this Saturday, Eggington has a crossroads match with Frankie Gavin. But instead of talking about that fight — and why it’s significant — much of the boxing world is talking about how Danny Garcia tried to “cherrypick” a match with him.

But for a moment, I’d like to talk about Eggington’s fight with Gavin, which is being broadcast on Sky Sports. A win over Gavin would be huge for Eggington — it would establish him as a bona fide contender.

Gavin is rated #8 by the WBC. As for why? I don’t know, the WBC has their own logic to these things.

Suffice it to say, though, if Eggington manages to beat Gavin, then he would become a legitcontender for Danny Garcia’s belt. There’s a narrative right now about Eggington being undeserving of a title shot, but should Eggington beat Gavin, would that still be true?

First, let’s acknowledge something obvious. Eggington has never stepped up to the world level, but he is — right now — an elite British domestic, and would probably make a dent at the European level.

As far as domestics are concerned, Eggington has a great resume. He’s got wins over Dale Evans, Glenn Foot, Shayne Singleton, and Denton Vassell. If you tune into Sky Sports, you might recognize these names.

But résumé is all academic. How does he actually fight?

It’s hard to pinpoint Eggington’s style. Sometimes he’s a come forward pressure fighter who likes to throw first. Other times, he goads his opponents to come close.

There’s quite a few things I like about Eggington. He’s pensive on the outside with a flicking jab. Yet, once close, will unleash some combination punching. He fights tall behind a high guard, makes use of feints, and is altogether awkward. It’s rare to see a rangy fighter with a preference for body punching, but that’s Eggington for you.

Therefore, based on resume and skill, does Eggington have world potential? The honest answer is yes, and we’ll have a definitive answer on Saturday. If Eggington beats Frankie Gavin, he would be a contender for a title.

Not just any title either, but Danny Garcia’s title. That’s right, no matter how much the boxing world howls with displeasure at Garcia fighting Eggington, Gavin-Eggington is for the WBC International title — which indicates that whoever wins will move higher in the WBC’s rankings.

And no, I don’t want to imply that should Eggington beat Gavin, he’d be a worthwhile test for Garcia. Rather, I’m saying that should Eggington win on Saturday, it’s inarguable that he’s good enough to challenge for Garcia’s title — at least according to the WBC.

That’s right, should things go his way on Saturday, Sam Eggington would be good enough to fight for Danny Garcia’s world title.