Fans have taken to social media to mock Chris Eubank Jr after he failed to make weight ahead of his showdown with Conor Benn - despite suggesting making the cut would not be too difficult just a day before.
The 35-year-old narrowly missed the middleweight limit ahead of his highly anticipated bout with his long-time rival, tipping the scales just half an ounce over the 160lb threshold during Friday's official weigh-in.
In the opposite corner, Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) comfortably came in under the limit at 156lbs 4oz after goading his rival by calling him 'fat boy' at Thursday's final press conference.
Eubank Jr (34-3, 25 KOs) will be fined $500,000 (£375,000) for his transgressions. It is the first time in his career that he has missed weight.
It comes just a day after he claimed making weight has not been painful in comparison to the pain he has suffered in recent years, including the death of his younger brother.
'What's weight?', Eubank responded after Benn urged him to lose weight.
Fans have taken to social media to mock Chris Eubank Jr after he failed to make weight
Eubank Jr failed to hit the 160-pound weight limit for his fight against Conor Benn
He posted a video cycling in a full sauna suit on Friday as he tried to sweat out the pounds
'Everyone is always talking about this. Yes, the weight is painful; I'm in pain right now and I'll be in even more pain tonight and tomorrow morning.
'The question I ask myself is 'what is pain?' I have a 31-year-old brother buried in the desert in Dubai. That's pain. I have his son Raheem, now three years old, who asks 'why can't I see my daddy? Why doesn't he take me to school?' That's pain.'
However, fans were quick to mock Eubank on X after he failed to make weight on Friday morning.
One posted on X: 'Bro said all this then missed weight'.
Another wrote: 'Guess the weight cut was hard, while a third added, 'this aged like milk.'
A fourth said: 'You didn't make it through the weight cut mate so that's a bit awkward'.
Meanwhile, Eubank took to Instagram to show fans exactly what he had been putting his body through to get down to 160lbs, including cycling in a full sweat suit and lying down in a large heat bag.
He also wrote: 'Pain is temporary… Glory is forever.'
Conor Benn goaded his rival at Thursday's press conference by calling him 'fat boy'
But Benn was buying none of it, and took to X to hit back at Eubank Jr for 'trying to fool' the public.
'Christopher who are you trying to fool and get sympathy from, I'm coming UP to your weight a weight you've made your last 3 fights and most of your career!' Benn wrote.
'It's like you're looking for excuses already? First time you've ever missed weight and first time you've ever posted a weight cut.'
Benn also posted a video of himself after learning Eubank Jr had missed weight, as he looked into the camera and said 'show me the motherf money,' while laughing.
Eubank Jr has spent the majority of his career at middleweight since turning professional in 2011.
However, he has fought up at the super-middleweight limit of 168lbs, and has spoken in the recent past about the difficulty of still making 160lbs.
His father, Chris Eubank Sr, who was a two-weight world champion in his own right, also told Mail Sport last week that his son is fighting in the 'wrong' weight category.
He was angry that Eubank Jr agreed to fight Benn at 157lbs in October 2022 before the bout was cancelled due to Benn failing two drugs tests, and was not happy to see him back at 160lbs for Saturday's fight, as he raised concerns about his son's health.
'I told my son three years ago, that fight does not happen,' Eubank Sr said. 'He is the wrong weight. I told him why it shouldn't happen and why it will not happen. I was correct last time and I will be correct this time.
'We can't have any more Michael Watsons. He is the people's champion. You are getting blinded by this circus put on by these promoters. Barry (Hearn), your son (Eddie Hearn) said there's real hate now. What hate? It's just money. There's no hate.
'The hate is in the promoters' mindset. I wish you (Chris Jr) would listen but I know you won't.'
Eubank Jr has already been hit with a £100,000 fine for slapping Benn with an egg at the launch press conference for their fight in February, and he must now adhere to the rehydration clause in their contract to avoid another financial punishment.
Both men are set to tip the scales on Saturday morning, and they cannot have put on more than 10lbs since Friday's weigh-in.
Conor BennChris Eubank Jr