Conor Benn slaps Gareth A Davies’ hand talkSPORT microphone and denies interview during Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin fight

Conor Benn refused a talkSPORT interview by slapping journalist Gareth A Davies’ microphone with his hand on Saturday night.

The 26-year-old welterweight contender remains embroiled in controversy following his two positive drug tests last year which saw his proposed fight with Chris Eubank Jr dropped.

Benn made a rare public appearance following the controversy as he attended Anthony Joshua v Jermaine Franklin at London’s O2 Arena.

With talkSPORT broadcasting the event, Davies was sent on a traveling mission to collect interviews around the ring approximately 90 minutes before AJ walked his ring.

The talkSPORT Fight Night host met Benn in the VIP section, but was unable to speak to him.

Davies recounted his moves as he strolled to ringside and said, “I’m very close to Conor Benn, just want to say hello to-“

At this point he was interrupted by Benn himself, who slapped his talkSPORT microphone.

Davies told listeners: “Well he cut the mic, he doesn’t want to talk tonight I’m afraid.

“He has his security guy and he just knocked the microphone out of my hands.

“He clearly doesn’t want to do anything. It is the arrogance of youth unfortunately.

Davies then indicated where Benn’s anger was directed. “I don’t take it as an insult at all, it’s the talkSPORT microphone.

“He doesn’t want to talk to talkSPORT, that’s what he’s made clear. He wasn’t aggressive towards me at all…

“We know privately he was a little disappointed with a lot of the criticism he got on talkSPORT and I think that’s all that happened tonight.

“He hit the mic with his left hand.

“It wasn’t aggressive, I wasn’t ducking a left hook or anything, he just slapped the microphone bulb with talkSPORT on it.”

Benn then posted a photo on Instagram of himself in his place for the evening with a microphone emoji along with the word “no”.