Eddie Hearn vs Simon Jordan: Watch back heated showdown live in talkSPORT studio as pair have fiery debate over Conor Benn situation

Eddie Hearn and Simon Jordan went head to head live on talkSPORT on Tuesday and it was a truly fascinating encounter.

The Matchroom Boxing boss and talkSPORT host had been embroiled in a fierce war of words over the past six months, with the studio showdown being their first meeting since.

Hearn joined Jordan in the talkSPORT studio for a fiery encounter

A large amount of the animosity between the pair stemmed from the situation surrounding Conor Benn’s positive drugs tests before his cancelled fight with Chris Eubank Jr last year.

Jordan was highly critical of Hearn’s handling of the debacle as he attempted to proceed with the fight regardless of the BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) prohibiting it from taking place.

The former Crystal Palace owner then branded Hearn a ‘coward’ for not facing questions from the media when he eventually did accept that the fight could not go ahead as planned.

Hearn hit back and a rivalry ensued with a series of back-and-forth comments, including the suggestion of a charity boxing match.

The Matchroom promoter opted not to face Jordan’s questions about the Conor Benn situation on talkSPORT at the time, but did so on Tuesday.

He joined White and Jordan for an hour-and-a-half from 11am-12:30pm and an entertaining back-and-forth ensued.

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

Benn twice tested positive for the banned substance clomifene

Of course Benn was the main topic as Hearn defended his stance under interrogation from Jordan.

“Contractually, we rely on the British Boxing Board of Control,” Hearn insisted.

“When these test were uncovered, it went straight to the governing body of the sport. The regulatory arm, disciplinary committee if you like, to make the decision.

“There is also a lot of rubbish about leaking of the tests. Contractually, regardless of what Simon will say, in the contract with Chris Eubank Jr the only way that fight gets cancelled is if the British Boxing Board of Control cancel the fight or Chris Eubank Jr terminates the agreement due to the testing.

Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

Benn has always maintained he’s never knowingly ingested an illegal substance

“Chris Eubank Jr wanted to proceed with the fight, the board took five weeks to make a decision.

“I go on record to say, the board made the correct decision. I wish they wouldn’t have waited five weeks.”

When asked if he was pushing for the fight to be called off, Hearn said: “Yes. Do you know who pulled the fight on that night? I pulled the fight.

“We had various options. Number one was an injunction, number two was to work with another governing body or regulatory arm and I didn’t want to do that.

Jordan and Hearn had a strong debate on the matter for over an hour

“The mistake I made, and I believe the only mistake, and I don’t think it was handled perfectly by anybody, was when I rocked up to the workout on Wednesday I’d literally received the letter from the British Boxing Board of Control an hour before.

“I faced the media and myself and Kalle Sauerland couldn’t believe it had been going on for five weeks and all of a sudden what are we going to do.

“I shouldn’t have said, ‘We are looking at our options.’

“I do regret considering our options because I think the board made the right decisions. I was a bit shell shocked.”

By the end of the 90-minute debate, the pair admitted respect for one another and the conversation ended on friendly terms.