Eddie Hearn claims Eubank Jr vs Benn can still go ahead despite BBBofC statement

Eddie Hearn insists Chris Eubank Jr’s fight against Conor Benn can still go ahead despite the British Boxing Board of Control ‘prohibiting’ the bout after the latter failed a drugs test.

Benn returned an ‘adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug’ in a test done by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association which is believed to be clomiphene, a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

However, Benn subsequently passed further doping tests conducted by the UK Anti-Doping Agency – the body the BBBofC rely on – and Hearn therefore says the 26-year-old cannot be suspended and should be allowed to fight on Saturday as planned.

Speaking at Wednesday’s live workouts, Hearn told Matchroom’s YouTube channel: ‘I think we’ve just seen the British Boxing Board of Control’s statement, which is pretty straight-forward, and it’s with the lawyers going backwards and forwards right now.

‘Both guys signed up to a multitude of testing for this fight. The UKAD testing – which is obviously the test agency that the British Boxing Board of Control use and are governed by – have all been clear and negative. There was an adverse finding on the VADA test previously, so there’s not been an official doping violation.

‘There’s a process that has to be gone through. Conor Benn is not suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control. Ultimately he can’t be, because he’s passed all the tests from UKAD. But clearly the British Boxing Board of Control will take a position on it. We’ll deal with the lawyers.

‘Both camps have been made aware of course previously to the article coming out about the situation and both camps are prepared to progress with the fight. But ultimately the conversations have to be had with the lawyers and the teams and the British Boxing Board of Control.’

Asked how Benn has reacted and whether he would still be at Wednesday’s workouts, Hearn continued: ‘You’ll see him here. Look, it’s a very difficult situation for him. We’ve seen previously people make their mind up before any news or information or evidence comes out, so it’s a very difficult time for him.

‘He’ll be in here going through the process. And it’s a difficult time for everyone, for Chris Eubank too. I don’t think anyone is going to feel sorry for us but we’ve put a lot of work into this show and we’ll see what happens from here.

‘Like I said, from Eubank’s side and from Conor Benn’s side, they feel the fight should progress, he’s not suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control. But ultimately they are the governing body and we will have to have conversations with them through the lawyers to see where this process ends.’

He added: ‘There is currently no reason in terms of suspension or violations that the fight should not take place. You remember a situation with Billy Joe Saunders where he tested positive with VADA ahead of the Andre [Ward] fight, the Board did not suspend him because they don’t recognise VADA but Massachusetts did. So there’s a complicated process to go through.

‘If the Board aren’t suspending Conor Benn – and they won’t suspend him, they don’t have the right to under their juristication with the tests that he’s been passing with UKAD – then if they’re not allowing the fight when do they allow the fight?

‘Are you saying there’s a delay while you have a hearing and we postpone the fight for two weeks? Three weeks? Four weeks? You’re not going to suspend Conor Benn so at some point the fight is going to take place.’

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