Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith press conference turns ugly with ‘homophobic’ row

Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith launched into an ugly ‘homophobic’ spat at their pre-fight press conference on Thursday afternoon, with broadcaster Sky Sports quickly apologizing.

The British rivals, due to fight in Manchester on Saturday night, became increasingly personal throughout, with Sky Sports subsequently removing the broadcast event from its Sky Sports Boxing YouTube channel.

Sky Sports presenter Anna Woolhouse apologized immediately after the fight for the “offensive” and “homophobic” language used throughout, while co-presenter Andy Clarke described what was heard as “personal” and “homophobic”. .

Chris Eubank Jr (left) and Liam Smith (right) launched into an ugly argument at Thursday’s press conference.

Eubank Jr has since taken to social media, declaring: “Well, that demanded quickly.”

The dispute sparked after comments made by Eubank Jr, 33, earlier this week, in which he revealed that Smith, 34, has been direct messaging him on Instagram ahead of the fight.

Eubank Jr referenced those messages in Thursday’s press conference, saying: ‘You slipped into my DMs. I’m used to seeing girls in my DMs, I’m not used to seeing boys’.

Smith, a former super welterweight world champion, then responded: ‘Chris, you talk about girls, mate, has anyone in this room ever seen you with a girl?

‘Got something to say to us? Because you are 33 years old. Do you want to tell us something? Because no one in this room has ever seen you with a woman.

British rivals became more and more personal as the press conference progressed.

Eubank Jr took to social media after the press conference, admitting that the discussion “rapidly escalated”

Eubank Jr sought to revert the conversation to the task at hand, insisting that personal matters should not be questioned publicly.

“Listen, my private life is my private life,” Eubank Jr. responded. “That’s irrelevant to boxing, but I’m happy, I’m comfortable.”

Eubank Jr, following another prompt from Smith, who again asked: ‘Do you have anything you want to tell us?’ he continued: ‘It’s a very personal question to ask myself directly. You can swipe my DMs or you can do it right now.

Smith then responded: ‘I’m not that type, man, I like women.’

Smith started the discussion by asking if Eubank Jr had anything to say, stating that “no one in this room has ever seen you with a woman.”

Eubank Jr insisted that his private life is irrelevant to boxing, but later accused Smith of cheating on his wife.

Smith, responding to accusations of cheating on his partner (left), declared: “You don’t have a lady to cheat on.”

Later in the press conference, Eubank Jr returned to the previous argument, this time accusing his impending opponent of cheating on his wife “on occasion”.

He said: ‘If you want to get dark and personal with it, talking about being gay and do I like girls? Various sources have told me that you sometimes cheat on your wife.

‘So the glass houses mate. Let’s relax on the personal stuff. I’d rather be gay than a cheater.

This was met with a response of: ‘You don’t have a lady to fool’.

Eubank Jr steps into the ring for the first time since his February 2022 victory over Liam Williams, with his October fight against Conor Benn called off after the latter failed two drug tests in preparation for the fight.

Smith, meanwhile, last beat Hassan Mwakinyo in September of last year.