British boxing blockbuster in doubt after positive drugs test

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) says that this Saturday’s much-hyped boxing match between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr is “prohibited and not in the interests of boxing” after Benn tested positive for a banned substance.

Benn’s promoters, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, released a statement to say that a routine drug test had returned an “adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug,” but added that Benn’s B sample had yet to be tested and that he has not been suspended and therefore remains free to fight in Saturday’s all-British affair.

It is understood that Been tested positive for a female fertility drug called clomifene, which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances. 

The contest has garnered significant publicity in recent weeks, largely due to the two bouts that the boxers’ fathers, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, had in the 1990s when they were arguably the finest British fighters of their era.

However, the statement from the BBBofC suggests that Saturday’s fight is in major jeopardy. It added that its decision to not sanction the fight was communicated to both boxers and their respective promoters early on Wednesday morning.

Benn, though, has since claimed that he has discussed the issue with Eubank Jr and both have taken the decision to continue with the bout after seeking medical and legal advice, and that together they “want the fight to happen for the fans.”

“He believes in me. It's not who I am, it's not what I'm about. He was understanding,” Benn said of his purported discussion with his rival.

“Throughout my whole career I've never had any issues before. I'm a clean athlete and we'll get to the bottom of this.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn also elaborated on Wednesday’s developments to say that the fight remains on, but that the decision by the BBBoC to not sanction the contest gives the fight’s organizers a few extra hurdles to clear before Saturday’s first bell.

“As we stand right now, the British Boxing Board of Control is not sanctioning the fight,” he said.

“That does not mean the fight is off, but there is a process we have to go through.

“Conor Benn is not suspended, he is free and clear to fight. There’s lots going on with the lawyers.”

It remains possible that another sanctioning body could be sought to oversee the fight in the absence of the BBBofC.

A decade ago, a fight between two other British boxers, David Haye and Dereck Chisora, was sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation as neither fighter possessed a license at the time.

And Hearn says that, while this isn’t a route he would enjoy navigating, it could be way to ensure that the show goes on.

“It's been done before and it's not something I've looked at before or something I necessarily agree with,” he said.

“But at the end of the day there has to be some harsh conversations with the board to understand what the process is moving forward.

“This is not a situation where we want to run rogue and come up with an alternative plan. We want our governing body to be comfortable.”

The fight is due to take place almost exactly 29 years to the day after Benn and Eubank Jr’s father met in the second of their two fights. The second meeting was a draw after Eubank won the first by ninth-round TKO three years prior.