Conor Benn facing two-year boxing ban as he’s charged over failed drug test

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    Conor Benn could be banned from boxing for two years after UK Anti-Doping charged the fighter for the two failed drug tests that led to the collapse of his proposed bout against Chris Eubank Jr.

    Benn, 26, was on the verge of facing Eubank Jr. on October 8 before the BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) announced he had failed a drugs test just three days prior to the bout. 'The Destroyer' tested positive for clomifene, which is traditionally used to treat infertility in women and also boosts testosterone.

    The World Boxing Council (WBC) initially removed Benn from its rankings following the failed test, but the body later 'cleared' him of any wrongdoing and restored his ranking in February. A 'highly-elevated consumption of eggs' was given as the reason behind the positive test for clomifene, leading to widespread scrutiny among the public.

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    But UK Anti-Doping have reopened the enquiry despite the WBC's judgement, formally charging Benn over the two failed tests from July 2022 and September 2022. Despite passing all tests carried out by UKAD leading up to his collapsed clash against Eubank Jr., the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) discovered his irregular readings.

    Benn—who has consistently denied any wrongdoing and remains adamant he is a 'clean athlete'—released a statement responding to Thursday's report of a potential two-year suspension, which read: "I can't comment on anything to do with UKAD, other than to say that I am in touch with them.

    "Someone at the BBBoC or UKAD obviously wanted to create a headline unlike the [Amir] Khan case where it was kept quiet for 14 months, but this [is] nothing new. I remain free to fight outside of the UK."

    Is a two-year ban

    A non-UK-sanctioned fight is already in the works after Benn was linked with a comeback bout opposite former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. The veteran's advisor, Sean Gibbons, appeared to confirm that fight was all but scheduled after telling Planet Sport earlier in April: "Will he [Pacquiao] fight this year? You know what, Senator Manny Pacquiao has agreed to fight Conor Benn."

    Former WBA Continental welterweight champion Benn (21-0) hasn't fought since beating Chris van Heerden with a second-round stoppage in April 2022. Middleweight Eubank Jr. had agreed to face The Destroyer 157 pounds—10 pounds above Benn's usual weight limit—before the clash was called off.

    The details of a potential ban remain uncertain, though Benn could be prevented from fighting in the UK until September 2024, if the suspension's start date was scheduled from his most recent failed test. That would make the Londoner eligible to fight again in his native land right before his 28th birthday, with his options possibly restricted to other boxing hot spots like the United States and Saudi Arabia until then.

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