Conor Benn and Kell Brook fuelled rumours that they will be fighting in future by clashing at ringside during the Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron card in Dublin.
The pair have been out of the ring since early 2022 – Brook through retirement, and Benn because of two failed doping tests that he disputes to this day.
With a ring return likely for both in 2023, their names were linked as soon as Brook had made his intentions of a comeback clear.
That boiled over at ringside in Dublin during the undercard, with the pair coming face to face before pushes broke out and they had to be separated.
🤯🤯🤯@ConorNigel & @SpecialKBrook 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛 ringside at #TaylorCameron 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/PVwvO2w972
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 20, 2023
Speaking in the aftermath, Benn told Boxing Social that Brook should ‘stay retired.’
“It’s been intense all day when I’ve seen him. Obviously he’s been talking the most, saying he wants to fight and he’s gonna teach this kid a lesson. It don’t float with me like that.”
“I just said to him stay retired, mate, stay retired. Because you’ll get hurt messing with me.”
Asked if that has fuelled the desire to fight Brook, Benn said yes.
“It’s personal when you lay your hands on me like that, so let’s handle it in the ring. Let’s get this done and settled. I wanted the fight two years ago.”
Finally, he made his prediction – a very early finish.
“I stop him within two rounds. I don’t care what Kell Brook’s got left, I stop him in two rounds.”
“If you choose to fight me, it’s your death wish. Period. You think you fancy your chances, but when I hit you you’ll know about it. All these old men keep calling me out, I think you lot should stay retired.”
Even despite his age, Brook would likely be the toughest test of Benn’s career. The former welterweight world champion has only fallen short three times in his campaign, and that was to modern-day greats Gennady Golovkin, Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford.
Before Benn fights though, he has an official hearing with the UK Anti-Doping Agency and the British Boxing Board of Control to see to.