Ireland’s JJ McDonagh retired on his stool following the end of the third round of his bout with Chris Eubank Junior in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
McDonagh, looking to repeat the feat where he shocked Jake Ball last year, was struggling from early on and was knocked down in the first round with a glancing shot to the side of the head.
He recovered but took plenty of punishment in the next two rounds and opted not to come out for the bell at the start of the fourth, citing a shoulder injury.
In bizarre scenes in the post-fight interview in the ring, Eubank Junior was critical of McDonagh for not continuing the fight and it irked the Irish boxer who accused him of arrogance, before the two boxers were separated.
"You've got to pull through these things, that's the only way you'll make in the game," Eubank Junior said.
McDonagh responded angrily: "Not when there's another seven rounds left. I'd like to see you, if you had a sore shoulder as bad as mine, would you finish off the seven rounds with me?
"Don't get arrogant. I'm not one bit afraid of you. I'll give you a straightener now with one hand."
