• Scuffling boxers to meet in British title fight on Saturday • Fight on undercard to Anthony Joshua v Eric Molina at Manchester Arena

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Dereck Chisora picked up and threw a desk as his pre-fight press conference with Dillian Whyte ended in chaos and farce.

Bad blood had already been evident throughout a 20-minute media session at a Manchester hotel as both fighters traded insults and swore repeatedly.

Chisora lost his temper and threw the top table off the ground, sparking scuffles involving various people, including security staff.

The fighters will meet in the ring in a British heavyweight title fight and WBC eliminator on the undercard to the bout between Anthony Joshua and Eric Molina in Manchester on Saturday.

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The pair had already clashed on the Sky Sports programme The Gloves are Off.

Initially it was announced they would hold separate press conferences but it was decided they should be seated at opposite ends of a long table with a significant security presence.

Those measures proved inadequate as Chisora, who had been goading Whyte throughout but taken plenty of flak himself, banged the desk with his fist and then launched it in Whyte’s direction.

Whyte’s trainer Mark Tibbs, who had also joined in the verbal sparring and used some crude language, threw an object back in Chisora’s direction. Sky reported the pair would weigh in separately on Friday.