Chris Eubank Jr has issued an apology after hitting out at ‘scumbag’ promoters during an extraordinary press conference on Wednesday night.
The 35-year-old had slammed Frank Warren, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Wasserman Boxing promoter Kalle Sauerland during a press conference in London ahead of Artur Beterbiev’s fight with Dmitry Bivol.
Eubank Jr will appear on the undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 12, when he faces Kamil Szeremeta.
He was questioned about his recent decision to sign for Ben Shalom’s BOXXER promotions, promoting Eubank Jr to round on other promoters.
‘Why BOXXER? Because every other promoter out here is a scumbag,’ he said.
Chris Eubank Jr issued an apology after blasting ‘scumbag’ promoters at a press conference
The boxer took aim a promoters in London provoking a furious response from Frank Warren
Warren interjected during Eubank Jr’s comments and later threatened to take legal action
‘He [Frank Warren] sued me for a couple of hundred thousand a few years ago so obviously I’d never go with him. Scumbag.
‘Kalle Sauerland, kept me in a terrible contract for several years. Scumbag.
‘Eddie Hearn and Frank Smith tried everything they could to make this Connor Benn fight. So yes, scumbags. The only one who isn’t is Turki Alalshikh [Saudi Arabia’s boxing powerbroker].
‘This is a man who isn’t trying to take money for fighters, and use lawyers and accountants in slave contracts.’
A visibly furious Warren had interjected during Eubank Jr’s comments, with the Queensbury Promoters chief stating ‘Why have we got to listen to this scumbag?
‘Fight Hamzah Sheeraz then, scumbag. Why don’t you fight certain fighters?’
Warren, who had previously sued Eubank Jr for a breach of contract, later threatened to take legal action over the boxer’s comments.
‘The bottom line of it is very simple. He was sued by me for a legal breach of a contract and I was successful in suing him and he paid substantial damages,’ Warren said in an interview on talkSPORT.
‘Now you know what he can’t accept is what’s legal and what’s not. And as regarding what he’s just said just so you know I’m gonna keep it short and sweet. He’s gonna get sued again for the comments that he’s made publicly.
Eubank Jr later issued a statement retracting his comments with Warren accepting his apology
Eubank Jr’s rant came after he was asked why he had recently signed with BOXXER promotions
He is due to return to the ring in Saudi Arabia next month when he faces Kamil Szeremeta
‘He will be sued and he will have a problem over that and anybody else who says it, they can get in that queue.’
Eubank Jr had also shared a video of his comments on social media, writing ‘Just telling it how it is’.
A joint statement was later released by Eubank Jr and Warren with the boxer apologising for his comments in the press conference.
‘Following today’s press conference for the historic Riyadh Season on October 12th, I would like to retract my inaccurate statements and offer my apologies to Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn and Kalle Sauerland,’ Eubank Jr said.
‘I now wish to focus purely on boxing and preparing for a huge fight in Riyadh next month.’
Warren added: ‘I accept Chris’ apology and retraction. I too have said things before and apologise to him also if any criticism of him has upset him in the past.
‘I look forward to seeing him compete on this huge Riyadh Season card. We look ahead to some potentially massive bouts in the future.’
Eddie Hearn responded to Eubank Jr claiming the boxer had ‘thrown his toys out of the pram’
Hearn also responded to Eubank Jr’s comments, with the boxer having cited his shelved fight with Connor Benn in 2022.
Benn, who is promoted by Hearn, failed a drugs test ahead of the fight preventing the all-British bout from going ahead.
‘I think he threw his toys out of the pram because he was on the bottom table,’ Hearn told Boxing News.
‘It will be dealt with, no comment on that one, we will let that be dealt with. Pretty wild, but sometimes when you say things you have to live by those words.’
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