Conor Benn shoved Chris Eubank Jr, as the pair ran into each other in Riyadh on Friday.
Eubank Jr and Benn were meant to fight in October 2022, but the bout was infamously shelved on fight week after Benn tested positive for the banned substance Clomiphene.
Benn arrived into Riyadh on Thursday ahead of Eubank Jr’s battle with Kamil Szeremeta on Saturday, on the undercard of the undisputed light heavyweight title showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
The bad blood between the pair, whose fathers famously fought twice in the ‘90s, clearly remains and tensions boiled over on Friday when they crossed paths for the first time since their clash was cancelled, in a hotel in Riyadh.
“Don’t f*** up the bag, son,” Benn warned Eubank Jr.
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The Brighton man then confronted the ‘Destroyer’, going nose-to-nose with him, replying: “This guy comes in when I’m cutting weight.”
Benn hit back: “Comes in when you’re cutting weight? I’ll see you tomorrow after the fight.
“I’ll get in that ring and f***ing give it to you.
“You’re f***ing luck you’re fighting tomorrow.”
The insults and expletives continued, before the Essex man shoved his bitter rival in front of the onlooking media.
“I like this energy,” Eubank Jr said after being pushed.
“You’re a kid.”
“A kid that’s going to f*** you up,” Benn responded.
The 28-year-old has had two fights since his drugs saga, but has been unable to compete in the UK, with both bouts taking place in the USA.
Benn looked to be on course to be able to fight again in the UK when he was cleared by the National Anti-Doping Panel last July to resume his career in his home country, but those hopes were dealt a major blow in March after both UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control won an appeal to lift his temporary suspension.
The unbeaten welterweight is set to face the BBBofC at a hearing this month and will hope that a successful case will lead to a long-awaited clash with Eubank Jr.
The pair were supposed to fight at a 157lb catchweight, however Benn has repeatedly said that he will now go up two weight classes to meet ’NXTGEN’ at middleweight.
