Eddie Hearn criticized Chris Eubank Jr, calling him disrespectful, for preventing him from honoring Ricky Hatton during a press event for his upcoming match against Conor Benn. The sudden passing of Hatton at 46 years old deeply impacted the boxing community, with an outpouring of tributes for the beloved ‘The Hitman’. Hearn, like many others, wanted to pay his respects to Hatton during the press conference but faced obstacles when Eubank Jr disrupted the moment.
As Hearn tried to share a brief tribute about Hatton, Eubank Jr interrupted by singing in the background, dismissing Hearn’s request for a 30-second tribute. Despite Hearn’s attempts to reason with Eubank Jr, the latter remained uncooperative, causing tension between them. Hearn, visibly frustrated, criticized Eubank Jr, labeling him inappropriately, while Eubank Jr continued to talk over him, portraying himself as the victim.
The altercation escalated with Eubank Jr refusing to listen to Hearn’s words, leading to a heated exchange where Hearn expressed his displeasure with Eubank Jr’s behavior. The press conference, intended to promote the upcoming rematch between Benn and Eubank Jr in November, was marred by Eubank Jr’s repeated disruptions. Eubank Jr did show respect for Hatton on social media after his passing, posting a tribute acknowledging the late boxing legend.
During the press event, Benn paid tribute to Hatton by wearing a Manchester City shirt, a nod to Hatton’s passion for the club. Hatton had been honored by Manchester City before their victory over Manchester United in the recent derby match. Eubank Jr and Hearn’s clash overshadowed the promotion of the Benn-Eubank Jr rematch, which will be a highly anticipated bout following Eubank Jr’s victory in their previous encounter.