Eubank Jr slaps Benn with egg at chaotic face-off

Chris Eubank Jr slapped Conor Benn crossed the look with an ovum during a head-to-head astatine an bonzer media league successful Manchester.

The British rivals - who volition combat astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium connected 26 April - astatine times acted similar petulant children and hurled foul-mouthed insults astatine each different passim the event.

Tension aboriginal filled the auditorium astatine the Manchester Central venue earlier the obligatory face-off.

The brace exchanged words adjacent up, earlier Eubank produced an ovum from his pouch and deed Benn crossed the feature with his near hand.

An already volatile Benn, with his begetter Nigel adjacent to him, mislaid power and some boxers were held backmost by information guards.

A scheduled combat betwixt the brace successful October 2022 was called disconnected aft Benn failed a voluntary drugs test, prompting a two-year conflict with anti-doping authorities, earlier his suspension was lifted successful November.

Benn has ever denied intentionally doping and some fighters are being tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) for the contest.

An autarkic study by the WBC successful February 2023 said his failed drugs trial was not intentional and could person been caused by a "highly elevated consumption" of eggs.

"Apparently ovum contamination was the crushed for his 2 failed drugs tests. So I contaminated him with an egg," Eubank posted connected societal media with a clip of the incident.

Eubank made a dilatory entranceway and demanded Benn beryllium seated person to him.

"I don't cognize who you deliberation you're talking to," responded a twitchy Benn, dressed successful a achromatic silk pyjama-like outfit.

The fighters belittled each other's records, Eubank spoke astir the injustice of a rehydration clause which means helium cannot measurement much than 10lb much than the middleweight bounds connected combat night, and Benn said helium would "render [Eubank] unconscious".

"I'm excited to extremity this man's career," said 28-year-old Benn, who has won each 23 of his fights, with 14 stoppages.

With 34 wins successful a vocation spanning much than 13 years, Eubank, 35, has fought astatine a importantly higher level. His losses person travel against erstwhile satellite champions Billy Joe Saunders, George Groves and Liam Smith.

"I'm going to bushed him due to the fact that I'm a amended combatant successful each department," helium said.

Eubank and Benn person reignited a household rivalry aft their hall-of-fame fathers fought for a 2nd clip astir 32 years ago.

Eubank Sr was not successful attendance, however, and appears reluctant to beryllium progressive successful the promotion of the fight.

"The bottommost enactment is that his dada does not adjacent similar him," said Benn.

As the warfare of words continued, Nigel Benn and Eubank's team, including promoter Ben Shalom, remained quiet.

But Eubank took peculiar purpose astatine Benn's promoter, Eddie Hearn, who refused to backmost down.

"This is not the Eddie Hearn show," helium said, talking implicit Hearn each clip the Matchroom president spoke arsenic a standoff ensued.

It is improbable the Manchester Central Auditorium - which usually caters for firm events - has seen specified histrionics.

Benn v Eubank is simply a bloodline rivalry which has transitioned into bona-fide hatred. Put these 2 volatile Englishmen unneurotic successful immoderate country and the chances of it kicking disconnected are highly high.

Asked by BBC Sport earlier the media league what helium thought of his opponent, Benn - without hesitation - replied: "Idiot."

We expected a propulsion oregon possibly immoderate insults which crossed the line, but Eubank's actions caught everybody by surprise.

The brace are acceptable to look disconnected again astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium connected Thursday. The information steadfast utilized by organisers whitethorn request to telephone connected a fewer much staff.