Two failed drug tests and the fury of the boxing public are apparently not reasons enough to dissuade promoter Eddie Hearn from triumphally heralding the return of Conor Benn.
Hearn, the head of Matchroom, has been busy recently beating the drum for his embattled welterweight charge’s innocence, saying that Benn would, as a matter of “fact”, fight within the first six months of 2023.
Benn was revealed to have tested positive for the banned substance clomifene in October, three days before his scheduled 157-pound catchweight bout with Chris Eubank Jr., a highly anticipated event in British boxing that was capitalizing on the legendary rivalry produced by the fighters’ fathers, Nigel Benn and Eubank Sr., in the early 1990s. Both Hearn and Eubank’s promoter, Kalle Sauerland, were initially intent on moving forward with the show, despite the severe backlash, but they eventually cancelled it.
It was later revealed that Benn had failed a separate drug test for the same substance earlier in the summer, a fact that was not divulged at the time of the initial revelations, leading to the belief that Hearn and Benn deceived the public. Clomifene is a fertility drug that can raise testosterone levels when used by men.
In late October, Benn relinquished his license with the British Boxing Board of Control, a move that many have interpreted as a sign of guilt.
Benn is currently awaiting a verdict by the World Boxing Council, which dropped the fighter from its welterweight rankings. In December, Benn reportedly submitted a nearly 300-page document to the WBC to prove his innocence.
In his most recent protestations, Hearn seemed to suggest that the only matter that is apparently up for debate is not if Benn will return to the ring but when. Hearn insisted that Benn, even without a BBBofC license, could fight "now", but that their preference is to do so only after they receive a verdict from the WBC first. Hearn suggested he is confident that the WBC’s findings will vindicate his client. In addition, Hearn maintained that Eubank-Benn would be on the fight schedule once more, supposedly soon. Eubank himself has openly expressed interest in revisiting the fight
“We want a decision,” Hearn said on the latest episode of The DAZN Boxing Show. “You’re talking about something now that happened seven months ago. He hasn’t boxed for 10 months. We want a decision and if we don’t have a decision soon, we’re going to make a move. Because make no mistake, Conor Benn can fight now. But we, as a team, and Conor Benn as an individual, want a ruling on this.
“He’s not saying, ‘Just get me a fight. I don’t care about this.’ …This is not really a decision that’s going to affect him fighting. This is a decision that’s going to affect his standing within the WBC, because this was under their jurisdiction. But he’s allowed to fight now, but we don’t want him to fight—he doesn’t want to fight until his truth comes out. But sooner or later, at one point, when we get to February or March and we’re waiting for the decision, so … Conor Benn is going to fight Chris Eubank, trust me. And it’s gonna be a massive fight.”
Fights have taken place before in the UK without the imprimatur of the BBBofC, but they are largely exceptional cases. In 2012, the heavyweight fight between David Haye and Derek Chisora, in London, fell under the purview of the Luxembourg Boxing Federation after the BBBofC refused to approve it because of a scuffle that went on during a pre-fight press conference. Hearn was reportedly exploring that option—i.e., using an outside commission—after the initial revelations of Benn’s failed drug test. That could be the scenario Hearn has in mind for Benn when he says Benn can fight “now.” The BBBofC, it should be noted, is not a government agency.
If all goes according to plan, Benn won't miss a beat in 2023. Hearn said Benn is raring to dive into a significant fight as soon as possible, either with Eubank or other big names such as lightweight Gervonta Davis (who is backed by Hearn’s business rival Al Haymon of Premier boxing Champions), former welterweight titlist Kell Brook (who is retired), or the legendary Manny Pacquiao (who is also retired but has begun engaging in exhibition bouts recently). The latter three fights admittedly seem very unlikely to happen for the reasons listed.
“By the way, Conor Benn against Tank Davis is an absolute savage fest,” Hearn said. “Look, Conor has made it clear to me and the team, he wants to go straight back into a big fight,” Hearn said. “Psychologically, emotionally, I would prefer [Benn to fight a tune-up] and then go into a big fight because of everything he has had to go through.
“But he’s made it clear, 'I want Eubank. I want Tank Davis. I want Kell Brook. I want Pacquiao. I want all these guys.' And this is the frustrating thing right now, because we’re in this situation where we’re just waiting. But like I said, this was seven months ago (the result of the first failed drug test in the summer). Any fine, any ban, is going to be backdated as well. It’s like, just give us an answer. We’ve given you everything that you need.”