Featured Image Credit: James Fearn / Stringer via Getty
Topics: Chris Eubank Jr, Conor Benn, Eddie Hearn, Boxing, Boxing News
James Taylor
Topics: Chris Eubank Jr, Conor Benn, Eddie Hearn, Boxing, Boxing News
The British Boxing Board have hit back after Chris Eubank Jr made a series of shocking allegations.
Last week, Eubank Jr and Conor Benn came face to face at a press conference to promote their highly-anticipated November rematch.
The pair last met earlier this year, with Eubank Jr narrowly defeating his rival in a thrilling fight. But that bad blood has not gone away, and their latest media appearance developed into a fiery exchange.
Eddie Hearn clashed with Eubank Jr after the boxer prevented him from paying tribute to the legendary Ricky Hatton. The 34-year-old then went on to make several accusations against Hearn and Matchroom, the promotional company run by Hearn and his father Barry.
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Eubank Jr alleged that following his first fight with Benn, the ambulance taking him to hospital was blocked by Hearn for 20 minutes as he struggled with severe dehydration.
He then criticised the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) who sanctioned April's fight and will oversee the rematch in November.
At the press conference, Eubank Jr said: "I want to talk about the British Boxing Board of Control and more specifically a man by the name of Robert Smith. He is the big boss, the head honcho, the man with all the power that controls everything that goes on in professional boxing inside the United Kingdom.
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"Now, this idiot let a room full of media and cameramen into my private weigh-in the day before the fight. The time that it took to get these people out contributed to me missing the weight and getting fined £500,000 [which went to Benn as per the terms of their contract].
"He let Conor Benn fight in gloves with horsehair even though he knew it was in direct breach of the contract I had.
"On fight night, he personally escorted an arch nemesis of mine, Billy Joe Saunders, into my changing room to disrupt.
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"And then afterwards, he gets into the ring and tries to congratulate me. It is clear to me that this man is nothing more than a puppet and is in the back pocket of Matchroom. Unfortunately, just another scumbag in this treacherous and underhanded industry we find ourselves in."
The BBBofC's general secretary, Robert Smith, has since responded to the claims.
"Obviously, I can't say too much about Chris Eubank [Jr.'s comments] as we have taken legal advice," said Smith.
"It's disappointing that anybody would say that any member of the board or myself would do anything detrimental for a boxer's health.
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"And to say that somebody deliberately stopped an ambulance from leaving a venue is quite unbelievable."