Chris Eubank Jr has apologised and retracted his comments after calling boxing promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn ‘scumbags’ in a shocking press conference rant.
Eubank Jr came face-to-face with his next opponent, Kamil Szeremeta, at a press conference in London on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old talked up his chances of claiming an emphatic victory against Szeremeta while also launching a shocking rant at boxing promoters Warren and Eddie Hearn.
Eubank Jr was asked why he recently signed with Ben Shalom’s BOXXER promotions company when he took aim at Queensbury chief Warren and Matchroom boss Hearn.
‘Why BOXXER? Because every other promoter out here is a scumbag,’ said the son of former world champion boxer Chris Eubank.
‘We have Frank Warren behind me, he has been lying and cheating his way through boxing for the last few decades.
‘He sued me for a couple of hundred thousand a few years ago so obviously I’d never go with him. Scumbag.’
Warren shouted ‘speak up, I can’t hear you’ as Eubank Jr continued: ‘Kalle Sauerland, [Wasserman Boxing promoter] kept me in a terrible contract for several years. Scumbag.
‘Eddie Hearn and Frank Smith tried everything they could to make this Conor Benn fight…’
A clearly furious Warren then shouted out again: ‘Why have we got to listen to this scumbag? Fight Hamzah Sheeraz then, scumbag. Why don’t you fight certain fighters?’
But Eubank Jr ignored Warren and added: ‘So yes – scumbags. The only one who isn’t is [Saudi boxing chief] Turki Alalshikh.
‘This is a man who isn’t trying to take money for fighters, and use lawyers and accountants in slave contracts.’
Warren discussed the verbal attack on talkSPORT and said he was planning to sue Eubank Jr.
‘I wasn’t next to him. I was behind him and the speakers were facing outwards. So we couldn’t quite hear all what was being said,’ the 72-year-old said.
‘And 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.
‘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.
‘He will be sued and he will have a problem over that and anybody else who says it, they can get in that queue.’
Asked why he thought Eubank Jr decided to launch the rant, Warren added: ‘I’ve got no idea. I can’t really see into an idiot’s mind.
‘He’s been on my shows and was paid on time. He was received his money. He lost against Billy Joe Saunders and that is the bottom line of it.
‘So he needs to back up now on what he says. Otherwise he’s got a big problem.’
Later a joint-statement was released by Eubank Jr and Warren in which the boxer apologised and retracted his ‘inaccurate statement’.
‘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,’ he fighter said.
‘I now wish to focus purely on boxing and preparing for a huge fight in Riyadh next month.’
Warren, meanwhile, said: ‘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.’
Eubank Jr has won 33 of his 36 fights to date, with 24 of his victories coming by way of knockout. He defeated Liam Smith in his last bout after being beaten by his fellow Brit eight months earlier.
Eubank Jr fights Poland’s Szeremeta on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivoin in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on October 12.
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