Featured Image Credit: IFL TV
Topics: Boxing, Chris Eubank Jr
Chris Nee
Former WBO middleweight and super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders has been involved in an altercation before Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Eubank Jr finally meets Benn in the ring on Saturday after their highly anticipated bout was delayed in 2022.
The build-up to the fight has been full of controversy, with Eubank failing to make weight on Friday and fellow fighters questioning the safety of a strict rehydration clause preventing Eubank and Benn from being more than 10lbs over the middleweight limit at Saturday morning's weigh-in.
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Eubank's fine for missing weight will be paid entirely to Benn.
There was also a dispute over the provided gloves, with Robert Smith, General Secretary of the British Board of Boxing Control, moved to confirm on Friday that the gloves were already approved and would stay approved despite Eubank's camp's complaints about horse hair gloves.
The drama continued into the pre-fight hours in North London, where Saunders was sent to check Eubank's hand wrapping on behalf of Benn's team.
The divisive 35-year-old former amateur champion was stopped at the door by a member of Eubank's security team and made clear his annoyance, sparking an ugly and expletive-laden confrontation outside Eubank's dressing room.
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At the front of the scrum, Saunders repeatedly told the security member that he was "a nobody" among other, less salubrious names, but found his path blocked by an unyielding foe.
The temperature rose and various threats and invitations were made and accepted before the warring factions were separated as event security got involved.
Saunders carried on jawing as he left the scene, returning to Benn's dressing room with Eubank's hand wrapping thoroughly unchecked.
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Saunders held the WBO super-middleweight title from 2019 until 2021, when he was beaten by Canelo Alvarez in Texas.
He counts Eubank Jr among his beaten opponents, winning by a split decision in London to retain the British, European and Commonwealth middleweight titles in 2014.
Eubank Jr will have the weight advantage when he hits the ring against Benn but is emerging from a brutal cut in an attempt to make weight.