British Boxing Board of Control announce Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn fight is prohibited
At 2pm on Wednesday, October 5th, the British Boxing Board of Control released their eagerly awaited statement on the Chris Eubank Jr. vs Conor Benn fight, due to take place this Saturday, October 8, at the O2 Arena in London.
The Eubank-Benn blockbuster event was plunged into uncertainty immediately after Conor Benn (21-0, 14KO) returned an adverse finding for the banned substance clomifene ahead of his catchweight showdown against Chris Eubank Jr. (32-2, 23KO).
Despite this, Wasserman and Matchroom released a joint statement assuring fight fans and ticket holders that the show will go on. However, the BBBofC's statement did not share the same sentiments.
British Boxing Board of Control Statement:
"On the evening of 4th October 2022, the Board of the British Boxing Board of Control Limited resolved that the contest between Chris Eubank Jnr. and Conor Benn scheduled to take place on 8th October 2022 is prohibited as it is not in the interests of Boxing. That was communicated to the Boxers and Promoters involved on the morning of 5th October 2022."
Only an hour earlier, a joint statement was released from promoters Wasserman Boxing and Matchroom, which read: "We have been made aware that a random anti-doping test for Conor Benn conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association returned an adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug. The B sample has yet to be tested, meaning that no rule violation has been confirmed. Indeed, Mr Benn has not been charged with any rule violation, he is not suspended, and he remains free to fight.
"Mr. Benn has since passed a doping control test conducted by the UK Anti-Doping Agency, the anti-doping authority to which the British Board of Boxing Control has delegated its doping control testing for the bout. Mr Benn has passed all doping control tests conducted by UKAD.
"Both fighters have taken medical and legal advice, are aware of all relevant information, and wish to proceed with the bout this Saturday."
Promoter Kalle Sauerland, who promotes Chris Eubank Jr., joined TalkSport live to shed some light on the situation, "I can tell you that there has been a trace finding of a female fertility drug in a voluntary testing scheme, which is in addition to the UKAD testing scheme (the British Board testing scheme), so two seperate schemes.
"At the end of August, beginning of September there was a test taken from Benn, in which there was a female fertility drug [detected], and that was unrelayed to us when the tests came back. The British Board follows UKAD, and the UKAD tests were presented to us as all negative, so that's a postion that, let's say, from a legal, from a licensing point of view that we have received.
"We took medical advice, it's a non-PED, but at the same time it can raise the testosterone levels, the experts that we consulted couldn't see that it was giving an advantage, so on the basis of that, we discusses straightaway with the most important person from our side, and that's the athlete, and he was happy to continue.
"He spoke to Benn as well, directly. there was a direct discussion between the two. I wasn't part of that discussion, but at the same time it seemed to be a personal matter from Conor Benn, I can't comment more than that.
"At the same time, we have to focus on the show on Saturday and we can't be distracted by anything.
"I'm not a legal expert on this, I'm not a medical expert that's why we sought [advice]. It's a substance that's on the list. You've got substances which cause automatic suspensions, there's substances that you can declare. It wasn't declared; was that a mistake? Absolutely. But, once again, I'm not on the Benn side of things."
Fight week media commitments started on Wednesday with a live workout at a venue in central London getting under way just past 2pm. Benn was due to enter the ring at 3.25pm with Eubank set to follow him 10 minutes later.
Undefeated Belfast boxer, Ciaran McVarnock, noted, "Benn refused to do a drug test earlier in the year and was dropped from WBC rankings because of it. Now has failed one!"
The lightweight from Northern Ireland also added, "How can the A sample fail and the B sample pass? They are the same piss!"
Another Twitter user shared the exact thoughts: "The WBC removed Conor Benn from their rankings in January for not enrolling in VADA. Well, now Benn has reportedly failed a VADA test. Dun dun duuuuun."
