Conor Benn continues to make a case for his innocence.
Benn, 26, scandalized the boxing world when it was revealed in October that he had failed a drug test, which led to the cancellation of his highly anticipated 157-pound catchweight fight with Chris Eubank Jr. A few weeks later, it was revealed that Benn had failed a previous test in the summer for the same substance, clomifene, a fertility drug. Both tests were administered by the third-party testing agency, Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
On Monday, the embattled British welterweight posted a story on his Instagram account suggesting his recent travails are nearing an end and that he expects to be vindicated. Benn has all along maintained his innocence.
Benn is currently under investigation by the World Boxing Council, which dropped him from its welterweight rankings.
“Been through hell and back,” wrote Benn, as he depicted himself staring sternly at his camera. “Thank God for science. The evidence doesn’t lie. No holes in the truth.”
An evidently confident Benn is referencing the fact that he submitted a 270-page document to the WBC last month. The document reportedly demonstrates how Benn did not intend to cheat. More recently, Benn has expressed his impatience with the time it has taken the organization to return a verdict. Eddie Hearn, Benn’s promoter, has continually insisted that he does not want Benn to resume his career until a judgement is rendered by the WBC. Hearn and Benn have come under negative light because they were not forthcoming to the public about the initial failed drug test from the summer.
Benn, however, is not currently suspended. He, in fact, relinquished his license with the British Boxing Board of Control in October, a move many perceived as a sign of guilt.
In his preceding post on his Instagram story, Benn showed a snapshot of an article from The Sun in which WBC head Mauricio Sulaiman stated that the investigation will take time and that Benn is free to fight since he is not under any suspension.
Eubank Jr. did not take too kindly to Benn’s post. On Twitter, Eubank, who is scheduled to take on Liam Smith in a middleweight bout this Saturday in Manchester, England, ridiculed his adversary. Eubank has described feeling betrayed after it was revealed that Benn had failed two tests, instead of one. Benn and Eubank spoke immediately after both parties became aware of the failed drug test that led to the cancellation of the fight, but Benn, according to Eubank, did not mention failing an earlier test in the summer.
“I’m pretty sure it was science that detected the illegal substances in your system on two separate occasions Conor,” Eubank wrote. “So yes, absolutely thank god for science… otherwise I would of been fighting the hulk a few months ago!!”
Matchrom's Hearn boldly predicted two weeks ago that he not only expects Benn to return in the first half of 2023, he believes that Benn and Eubank will actually happen down the line. Eubank, for his part, has expressed interest in revisiting the fight, saying the new storyline will help sell their fight to the public and distinguish their rivalry from their fathers'.
