Joshua vs Breazeale: Conor Benn and Dave Coldwell angered by Chris Eubank at press conference
Thursday 23 June 2016 02:58, UK
Conor Benn joined Dave Coldwell in branding Chris Eubank "disrespectful" at a fiery press conference for the Anthony Joshua v Dominic Breazeale undercard.
Eubank broke away from discussing his own son's British middleweight defence against Tom Doran to address Benn's father Nigel, with whom he shared arguably the most famous British boxing rivalry of all time.
With Benn Sr having returned to his home in Australia, Eubank said: "I want to say something to Nigel - Mr Benn - about Conor.
"Conor may turn out to be a good fighter one day. We don't know as yet but it's not the boxing I'm concerned with. I'm concerned with the ordinary life. The people you are moving about with.
"His father should be there to watch. He [Nigel Benn] famously said he got introduced to particular substances. This took him off track and maybe made him the fighter he became. Maybe he could have been a better fighter if he wasn't involved with those mates who introduced him to that ordinary life."
When a father is close, the fighter is better protected. This is in support of you. I'm not trying to embarrass you. I want the best for you.
It was at this point that Conor Benn, who is preparing for his fourth professional bout on the same card, could stand the monologue no longer.
He demanded: "Who are you to talk about my life? Who are you to talk about my personal life in front of all these cameras? I find that extremely disrespectful. If you want to talk about my dad, talk about him but don't come with all that.
"Don't talk about my life in front of these cameras. You want to talk about my boxing? Fair enough, but don't talk about my personal life. Talk about my boxing."
Turning back to the assembled media in London, Eubank continued: "His boxing life will be better protected if his father is involved with him. His father will protect him against the things that happened to him. When a father is close, the fighter is better protected. This is in support of you. I'm not trying to embarrass you. I want the best for you.
"You may have what it takes; that spirit and energy your father had. What I'm worried about is what's outside - the parties, the girls, the media and the guys who throw you off track. That's why Junior is protected because I'm not moving away from him. I'm watching everybody around him."
Earlier in proceedings, Eubank had drawn the ire of Doran's trainer Dave Coldwell by stating: "The way in which he's been brought up is built by a fighter. Not a promoter. Not a manager.
"No disrespect to Dave Coldwell. What was your record as a professional? The way you have built your fighters isn't the way I'd have built my fighters.
"You can only pass on so much information to Tom in my view. The information that I've passed on to Junior from the age of zero, he has seen the cut of a champion. That is what is fuelling him to do what he's doing just now as British champion.
"Your experience compared to my experience puts him [Doran] at a disadvantage. I'm talking about the comparison between the fighters we are representing and what I've given to mine compared to what you've given to yours."
You're such a disrespectful man. There's no reason for that. You just jibber jabber about a point that is not even relevant
Coldwell responded: "Everyone knows that as a boxer, I won an Area title and that was it but has that stopped me doing anything as a trainer or a manager? What has my record got to do with it? My career has nothing to do with that. He's his own man.
"You're such a disrespectful man. There's no reason for that. You just jibber jabber about a point that is not even relevant."
Watch Chris Eubank Jr vs Tom Doran as part of Joshua vs Breazeale, live on Sky Sports Box Office from The O2, on June 25. Book the event online here.
