Eubank Jr dons LGBT armband at Smith weigh in after fiery presser spat

Chris Eubank Jr says Liam Smith ’embarrassed himself’ in controversial exchange

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Chris Eubank Jr wore a LGBT armband at today’s weigh in for the Liam Smith fight after Sky Sports was forced to apologise for homophobic comments made during Thursday’s fiery press conference. The pair square off on Saturday at the AO Arena, Manchester in a middleweight contest live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Leading up to fight week both men had gone back and forth online but things were taken a step too far in their final press event. During the press conference, Smith shouted: “You go on about girls, has anybody in this room ever seen you with a girl? You got something to tell us? You are 33 and you said on the programme you want kids.

“This is for no laughs I am just asking, do you want to tell us something? You are putting up pictures with Neymar in limousines. No one in this room has seen you with a woman. If you are happy just tell us; it isn’t a dig. You have to have a women to have a kid.”

Eubank Jr retorted: “Listen, my private life is my private life. That is irrelevant to the boxing but I am happy and comfortable. What would you like to know Liam? If you want to get personal, talking about being gay? I’ve been told you cheat on your wife. I’d rather be gay than a cheat. If you would like to ask me a question just slide into my DMs.”

This ugly exchange was then followed by a statement from the British Boxing Board of Control affirming that both fighter’s conducts are ‘under consideration’ following the spat. “The British Boxing Board of Control are aware of the comments made by Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jnr at yesterday’s press conference, and the Stewards of The Board will be considering the conduct of both boxers directly,” read the statement.

In support of the LGBT community, Eubank Jr donned an armnband with the rainbow colours of the pride flag at this afternoon’s weigh in. Both men made the required middleweight limit with Smith and Eubank Jr stepping on the scales at 159lb even.

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Speaking after their ice cold final face off, Eubank Jr made reference to yesterday’s events. “The antics leading up to this fight have made me a little bit hungrier, there’s a little more needle in it now that he’s made things personal so I’m going to go out there and enjoy the punishment that I give out,” he said. “Now, it’s not just business, now it’s personal.

“I’ve got to go out there and win in devastating fashion so that I can go on and fight the big names in the division, i.e. Triple G (Gennady Golovkin).”

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