Heated Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jnr pulled apart

Chris Eubank Jnr and Conor Benn had to be separated when they came face to face in Riyadh on the eve of Eubank Jnr’s fight with Kamil Szeremeta.

Eubank Jnr and Szeremeta, both 35, meet at super middleweight on the undercard of the undisputed light-heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.

The former’s encounter with Benn, however, will inevitably fuel speculation that they will finally fight in 2025.

Their catchweight contest in 2022 was abandoned when Benn twice tested positive for the banned substance clomifene and he  subsequently relinquished his British Boxing Board of Control license.

The 28-year-old Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn said as recently as September that he hopes Benn’s return will happen imminently. “We’ll know more early October how that will play out,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of questions asking why doesn’t he just take a two-year ban – the test was in June 2022.

“But to Conor’s detriment he’s never wanted to concede a ban because he believes in his innocence. He’s never wanted to do a deal, and it has cost him time.”

“This little weasel waited to the day I’m starving and dehydrating myself making weight to grow some balls and pull up on me,” Eubank Jnr posted on social media.

“Don’t lose to this nugget on Saturday, satsuma head,” Benn responded. “And I suggest you scrub your teeth because your breath smelt like a mountain of shit.

“Three rounds I’m flattening you.”