Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn was told to ‘calm down’ by Daniel Dubois in a heated exchange ahead of the British star’s clash with Anthony Joshua.
The British pair are set to do battle for the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium on September 21 after the fight was announced back in June.
Ahead of the bout, Dubois, Joshua, Hearn and Frank Warren sat down for a face-off where tempers nearly boiled over after the Matchroom boxing chief poked holes in Dubois’ June victory over Filip Hrgovic.
Speaking on DAZN, Hearn said: ‘He [Hrgovic] was [on the way out], but he also took the kitchen sink from him.
‘And you took the kitchen sink off him, which was very impressive. And I give you incredible respect for that.
Eddie Hearn (right) was involved in a heated debate ahead of Anthony Joshua’s (left) fight
Daniel Dubois (right) told Hearn to ‘calm down’ as they discussed their upcoming title fight
‘But you don’t have to take the kitchen sink from him, you just have to take a cocktail stick.’
Dubois took exception to Hearn’s critique, chiming in: ‘All right, I’m not fighting you, Eddie.’
Hearn quickly replied: ‘Well thank God for that’. Dubois then said: ‘Calm down.’
Tensions then rose again when Dubois told Joshua that he was more than ready to ‘go now’ if he ‘wants to swing’.
‘Shut up, relax,’ Joshua responded. ‘I’ll throw this f***ing chair across your face. Don’t disrespect me.’
Dubois attempted to remain calm, saying: ‘You can’t intimidate me, who do you think you are?’
That comment got Joshua out of his seat with the pair having to be separated by security as Warren and Hearn watched on.
‘Daniel don’t disrespect me or I’ll put this f***ing chair through your face,’ Joshua continued.
Dubois and Joshua eventually had to be separated after the latter threatened to throw a chair
Joshua twice threatened to hurl a chair at his opponent as the interview quickly turned sour
‘Warn this little boy not to disrespect me. I don’t take disrespect lightly you know. Don’t sit on the table telling me we can go now, telling me this and that.
Promoter Warren said: ‘This was serious. We don’t need any stunts to sell this fight.’
‘Wembley Stadium will be sold out in no time. Who won’t want to see two British giants with massive punching power go at each other. It’s what heavyweight boxing is all about.
‘Daniel is really up for this fight already. And the big pressure is on Joshua at this later stage of his career.’
It was revealed by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh last month that the all-British title bout had sold out Wembley Stadium.
It was revealed back in June Joshua and Dubois will face off for the IBF belt on September 21
Dubois cut short a Brazilian holiday on Rio’s bikini laden Copacabana Beach to fly home to this showdown.
He found out that the IBF had promoted him from interim to full world champion when he switched on his mobile phone upon landing.
‘I saw the news on social media’ he said. ‘In a way I would have preferred to win the title in the ring. But I’ll take care of that by beating AJ’.
