Chris Eubank Jr. is scheduled to fight Kamil Szeremeta on the Riyadh season fight card on Saturday night, but almost ended up in an out-of-the-blue brawl with Conor Benn on Friday.
The two fierce rivals are still waiting to actually meet in the ring, following the postponement of their fight in October 2022 after an issue with Benn's pre-fight drug test.
But that has not stopped the pair constantly taking the time to slate each other at any opportunity, whether in press conferences, on social media or face-to-face.
It means, the tension is only building and it threatened to boil over in a Riyadh hotel when the pair faced off in a surprise confrontation.
Benn was being interviewed alongside promoter Eddie Hearn by iFL TV, when Eubank Jr. entered the same hotel lobby.
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Benn immediately spotted his rival and started to shout across the room to the Brighton fighter.
Eubank and his team soon moved over to the visibly angry Benn and the two immediately squared up, getting right in each other's face, just an inch apart.
Benn went straight for it: "You are lucky you are fighting tomorrow, or I'd fight you right now."
Eubank Jr. responded: "See this guy, comes at me when I'm cutting weight. Wait until we get in the ring."
Benn: "I'll see you straight after the fight tomorrow night and get in the ring and f--king give it to you. You are lucky."
iFL TV
When security tried to intervene to move Benn away, Eubank Jr. insisted it was okay and invited his nemesis is to move in even closer.
Benn, 28, immediately shoved Eubank Jr. away, with two hands pushed onto his chest, but Eubank just remained calm with a smile on his face throughout.
The two fighters cut very different figures. Benn the aggressor, looking pumped up, angry and loud. Eubank calm and speaking in a quieter tone.
Now held further apart by security, Eubank Jr. pushed Benn's buttons.
"You are a kid, watch what happens when we go at it," said Eubank Jr.
Benn hit back: "Yeah, a kid that's going to f--k you up. Dead boy walking, that's what you are.
"I'll give you an a-- beating in front of 60,000 people. You'll see what happens. Arrogant pr--k."
Eubank and his entourage then walked away, leaving Benn to throw a final insult - 'He is a f--king p---y'
As Benn walked away, in a classic Eddie Hearn move, the promoter tried to defuse the situation, joking, "what happened there, I was getting a coffee?" Then breaking into song with 'There is no business like show business'.
35-year-old Eubank Jr. has been out of the ring for 13 months, and knows only an impressive victory over Szeremeta will keep his path on course to a future world title fight, with his hopes to face Canelo Alvarez in 2025.
Time will tell if Benn and Eubank Jr. ever get to settle their differences officially in the ring. In the meantime, you can be sure there will be plenty more verbal battles and aggressive confrontations between the two.
With Benn in attendance ringside on Saturday night, the reaction of both following Eubank Jr. vs. Szeremeta coul be one of the most intriguing moments of the night.
Watch the whole Eubank Jr. Benn exchange here
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