Chris Eubank Jr is facing criticism for interrupting boxing promoter Eddie Hearn’s tribute to the late Ricky Hatton.
Hatton, one of the most successful and popular fighters of his generation, was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester on Sunday morning.
Hearn said he wanted to pay tribute to ‘The Hitman’ at the press conference for Conor Benn’s rematch against Eubank Jr on Wednesday evening but was immediately cut off by the son of British boxing legend Chris Eubank Sr.
The 35-year-old refused to let Hearn speak ahead of their first fight earlier in the year due to an ongoing feud and took the same stance at the recent press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
‘Firstly, just a couple of words…’ Hearn said before being cut off by Eubank Jr, who won the first fight on points.
‘Just a couple of words…. 30 seconds about Ricky Hatton,’ Hearn added before Eubank Jr responded: ‘Eddie, come on, Eddie.
‘No, there are no 30 seconds, you know the drill. You know the drill, I am not going to listen to anything you say.’
Accepting he was not going to be allowed to talk, Hearn fired back: ‘You are some a******e. All I was going to do was say a few words about Ricky Hatton. I won’t say anything, you’re an a******e and you talk s***.’
Speaking to iFL TV after the press conference finished, Hearn said: ‘I wanted to say a few words about Ricky Hatton but wasn’t allowed to.
‘He knew what I was trying to talk about. He’s not a decent bloke, I’m telling you. He wants to portray himself as the people’s champion but I disagree.’
Hearn added on The Stomping Ground: ‘The mask slipped tonight. As for not letting me say a few words about Ricky Hatton – when he knew I was trying to talk about Ricky Hatton – honestly I can’t have this bloke.’
Eubank Jr, meanwhile, accused Hearn of ‘using Ricky Hatton’s passing as a way to try and get to talk at a press conference’.
The Brighton fighter, son of the legendary Eubank Sr, added that a Hatton tribute that was played on the big screen before the press conference started was ‘awesome’.
‘Imagine using Ricky Hatton’s passing as a way to try & get to talk at a press conference,’ Eubank Jr posted on social media.
‘New low from Hearn here. I apologise on Eddie’s behalf. Awesome tribute to Ricky at the start of the presser though… he really was a legend. Thoughts & prayers are with his family.’
A number of fans were critical of Eubank Jr despite his defence and former British boxer Tony Bellew said his reaction was ‘disappointing’.
Speaking on the DAZN broadcast, Bellew said: ‘I was a little bit disappointed because I wanted one of them to speak about Ricky Hatton.
‘Chris didn’t let that happen on stage, and I hope they address that in the interviews they’re doing now. You’ve got to understand that Ricky Hatton paved the way for these two.
‘Their fathers are both legends, but Ricky Hatton is a big part of boxing and as big a part as anyone has played in the last two decades.’
Eubank Jr was among those to pay tribute to Hatton following his shocking death at the age of 46.
‘Rest in Peace, Mr Ricky Hatton. We salute you,’ he said.
His dad also reserved some heartwarming words for Hatton on an appearance on ITV’s This Morning, describing him as a ‘tremendous fighter who carried the nation’.
‘I mean, what can I say? It’s a great loss for boxing,’ said Eubank Sr.
‘You have a man on him who carried the nation for a while in terms of pride and standards. In terms of boxing, he really was a tremendous fighter.’
Hatton established himself as one of Britain’s greatest fighters during a brilliant 15-year career, winning 42 of his 45 professional bouts and securing two world titles.
He was due to have a comeback fight in December but was found dead by his long-standing boxing manager Paul Speak on Sunday morning.
Conor Benn, the son of British sporting icon Nigel, told BBC Radio 5 Live before the press conference that Hatton was his ‘hero’.
‘I can’t really process it,’ Benn said. ‘He was somebody who really helped me in my career but also somebody who took me in. Like a father figure would.
‘He made me feel at home when I didn’t have a home. He meant a lot to me. Very close to me and my family.
‘He was somebody I admired as a man, he was my hero. He is my hero. It’s still hard to process now. I have no words. My love to the family.’
Eubank Jr and Benn will face off for the second time on November 15, with the latter seeking revenge after a points defeat in April.
Wednesday’s press conference was dominated by claims that Team Benn and Eddie Hearn tried to ‘sabotage’ Eubank Jr before the first fight.
‘They did everything they could to try and destroy me in this last fight,’ Eubank said. ‘Contract breaches, fines, rehydration clauses, sabotage weigh-in, biased commentary and refereeing.’
Hearn dismissed the claims as false, adding: ‘I’ve never heard so much waffle. You are playing the victim.’
Eubank and Benn’s face-off passed without any major incidents after Eubank slapped his rival with an egg in the build-up to the first fight.
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