Chris Eubank Jr reacts to Conor Benn fight postponement

Image: Chris Eubank Jr reacts to Conor Benn fight postponement
London, UK: Chris Eubank Jnr and Conor Benn Press Conference ahead of their upcoming fight at the O2 arena on October 8th. 12 August 2022 Picture By Ian Walton Matchroom Boxing Chris Eubank Junior
By Boxing News - 10/06/2022 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Chris Eubank Jr says he “I can’t believe” his fight with Conor Benn is now off after Conor’s positive test for a banned substance.

Eubank Jr apologized to the fans, saying, “This should not have happened. He has escaped his schooling for now.”

Thus far, Benn hasn’t confessed to intentionally using the banned drug clomifene. Indeed, Benn says that he’s committed no violations.

It’s unclear what he means by saying this because he tested positive in a VADA test, and his B-sample, which still hasn’t been revealed, could yield the same results.

Although Benn tested negative from the UKAD testing, it’s unclear when those tests were conducted. If they were done well after the VADA testing, then that might explain the different results.

Just days ago, Eubank Jr (32-2, 23 KOs) was on the verge of making millions from his catchweight fight with the popular Benn (21-0, 14 KOs), but now the fight is officially off. Even if the fight is rescheduled, it’s questionable whether Eubank Jr will make the kind of dough that he would have made against Benn.

In a statement from Matchroom Boxing this morning, they revealed that the Eubank Jr-Benn fight has been “postponed.” They didn’t give a date for when it will be rescheduled, but it makes sense for them to wait a year or two before revisiting the fight.

Fans are going to be angry with Benn for a long time, and many of them won’t trust him after this. What Benn needs to do is earn their trust by returning to the 147-lb division and proving that he can defeat elite-level opposition without being popped again for drugs.

“Conor has said he doesn’t know how this happened, and there must be a reason for it, which he wants to get to the bottom of, and I believe him 100%, I believe Conor,” said Ricky Hatton to iFL TV about Conor Benn’s positive drug test.

“Drug tests are in place, and drugs are in your system. It gives one person an advantage, and then it’s fight off. The fight should be off. The safety of the boxer is always paramount. Conor is bulking up, and Chris is coming down.

“To chuck this on the cake as well, it’ll be interesting to see what Eddie [Hearn] says in a couple of hours,” said Hatton.

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