A highly anticipated face-off between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr, scheduled for later today, has been called off due to security concerns following a chaotic press conference in Manchester on Tuesday night.
The heated exchange saw Eubank Jr escalate tensions by slapping Benn with an egg, a move that sparked immediate retaliation attempts from Benn before security intervened.
The incident stemmed from Eubank Jr’s taunts about Benn’s past drug test controversies, specifically referencing his consumption of eggs, which was previously linked to his failed tests.
Benn, visibly enraged, took to social media shortly after the altercation, declaring: “That’s the only shot you’ll land on me, you f***** p****. Two rounds and you’re finished.”* The two fighters are set to meet at the middleweight limit of 160lb, with a strict 10lb weight cap by Saturday morning.
Eubank Jr, known for his brash persona, also clashed with Benn’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, during the press conference. In a fiery exchange, he dismissed Hearn outright, saying: “Eddie, you know I don’t like you, right? So if you know that, what on God’s sweet earth makes you think I’m gonna listen to anything you have to say?”
Hearn later spoke to Sky Sports, expressing his disbelief over the premeditated nature of Eubank’s actions. “The thing is with Eubank, everything is premeditated. He sat there at night and thought, ‘I’m going to hit him round the face with an egg.’ Some might find it funny, but imagine if this happened in a real face-off—police would be looking for you.”
Ben Shalom, Eubank Jr’s promoter, distanced himself from the incident, admitting, “Honestly, I don’t know what happened. It was an egg, we can see that, but I was in shock like everyone else.”
Despite the face-off cancellation, the fight remains on track for Thursday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With emotions at boiling point, the build-up to this grudge match has reached new levels of intensity, setting the stage for what promises to be an explosive showdown in the ring.
