Conor Benn had been set to take on Chris Eubank Jr. at London's O2 Arena in October 2022, setting a date for the latest chapter in a family feud fuelled by two epic bouts between their fathers, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, during the 1990s.
However, three days before the scheduled fight, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) announced they would not sanction it following a failed drugs test from Benn – and talk of a rearranged event has been growing ever since promoters decided to cancel the contest 24 hours later.
The fight was called off on account of a positive for clomiphene from a test conducted by VADA on September 1. It later emerged that Benn also tested positive for the same banned substance on July 25, again with VADA but as part of the World Boxing Council's Clean Boxing Program. His UKAD tests during the build-up to the axed Eubank fight came back clean.
In February, Benn was reinstated in the rankings of the WBC, which accepted the undefeated welterweight's version of events that he did not ingest clomiphene intentionally.
That appeared to clear the route to a comeback, with Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn floating the prospect of a June date in either Abu Dhabi or the United States. However, on April 18, Boxing News reported that the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) had provisionally suspended Benn on March 15. Just two days later, that news was confirmed in an official statement.
What is Benn's status? How realistic is the fight, and which way does Eubank see the saga developing? Here's what we know.
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Conor Benn latest: Failed drugs tests update
On Thursday, April 20, UKAD issued a statement to confirm that Benn had been formally "charged" with failing a drug test and have provisionally suspended him from fighting.
The statement read: "Whilst provisionally suspended Mr Benn is prohibited from participating in any capacity (or assisting another athlete in any capacity) in a competition, event or activity that is organised, convened, authorised or recognised by the British Boxing Board of Control or any other World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sport.
"UKAD can also confirm that on 3 April 2023 it charged Mr Benn with an Article 2.2 violation for the alleged use of a prohibited substance (clomiphene). The charge against Mr Benn is pending and will now follow the results management process in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping Rules."
Benn, 26, had been very active on social media regarding this matter over the past several weeks. Almost immediately, the unbeaten welterweight issued this response on Twitter:
"Another day, another attempt to create a headline with my name…
"I am involved in a confidential procedure and I have respected my confidentiality obligations. Yet each day brings a new leak and a misrepresentation of what's actually happening.
"There is no news. Being 'charged' is a start of a process by which an athlete has to defend themselves.
"I have not been sanctioned by anyone & I'm not banned from boxing. I remain free to fight in events that are not sanctioned by the BBBoC. I don't even have a BBBoC licence."
Following reports of the provisional suspension on April 18, Benn tweeted in response that he could not comment "other than to say that I am in touch with them". This marks a departure from his previous stance of apparently refusing to share the 270-page document in support of his case that was supplied to the WBC but not the BBBoC.
Hearn confirmed to the Daily Mail that this was the case. His fighter argued that "politics" were at play, given Amir Khan's recent positive drugs test was kept under wraps for over a year before a verdict was announced.
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 Khan case where it was kept quiet for 14 months but this is nothing new. I remain free to fight outside the UK
— Conor Nigel Benn (@ConorNigel) April 18, 2023
Benn offered a more lengthy analysis six days after the WBC said that the negative tests could have been caused by a "highly elevated consumption of eggs".
He added that he had "serious concerns about the whole testing system in the sport" and claimed that accepting a six-month ban would have been the "easy option" and saved him huge legal costs.
The statement alleged that an independent scientist Benn had flown "around the world" to attend a testing procedure had not been allowed in the room where the results were received and said his test sample appeared to have been tested three times when it should only have been checked once.
Conor Benn released a lengthy statement and offered further clarification.
— Sporting News Fights (@sn_fights) February 28, 2023
He stated that the egg contamination was not included in his 𝟐𝟕𝟎 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭. Instead, it was something suggested by the WBC experts.
📸: @ConorNigel pic.twitter.com/pRTZ4eVVsC
He also said the BBBoC had "attacked me publicly and privately during the most difficult time in my life", while Hearn joined Benn in highlighting the fact that the WBC — rather than Benn — had identified the part potentially played by eggs in the test results.
"I wish, really, we could draw a line under it and move on," Hearn told iFL. "But he's on one. He had the chance, from that WBC statement, to go 'oh, I'm in the clear now — let's crack on'.
"He doesn't want to. He wants to speak to everybody and tell them what's happened here in these various situations. None of it makes sense."
The WBC said there was "no conclusive evidence" Benn had intentionally transgressed.
WBC RULING REGARDING CONOR BENN https://t.co/1Tc1mjXUze pic.twitter.com/r7u0EUkWDn
— World Boxing Council (@WBCBoxing) February 22, 2023
"There were no failures in the procedures related to sample collection, sample analysis or violations of Mr Benn's B Sample rights that would justify questioning or invalidating the Adverse Finding," it added. "Mr Benn's documented and highly elevated consumption of eggs during the times relevant to the sample collection raised a reasonable explanation for the adverse finding."
The statement concerned the test on July 25, 2022. Benn joined the WBC's out-of-competition testing earlier that month. The WBC said it would work with Benn and his team to "avoid the risk of a future adverse finding caused by nutritional factors".
Benn has always protested his innocence since returning an "adverse analytical finding" in his September 1 sample.
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The 21-fight welterweight, whose perfect record includes 14 wins by knockout, tested positive for the female fertility drug clomiphene, which is known to increase testosterone levels.
Promoters Matchroom Boxing and Wasserman Boxing said after the test results emerged that Benn had passed all doping control tests conducted by UKAD, which carried out tests on behalf of the BBBoC. VADA's involvement in the Eubank vs. Benn card was paid for by Matchroom.
Around three weeks later, Benn accused the board of conducting a "biased and unfair procedure" ahead of a hearing on separate "allegations of misconduct" against him, adding that he would not be renewing his licence with them, which is required to fight in Britain.
The allegations against Benn were upheld by the board, with a statement saying they would release more details about the case "as and when appropriate."
— Conor Nigel Benn (@ConorNigel) December 12, 2022
While UKAD and the BBBoC's investigation continued, a report in June said Benn would present evidence that his results had been contaminated, working alongside executive coach Rene Carayol MBE and Dr Mohammed Enayat, an expert in functional and personalized medicine.
“We had a call with the WBC," Benn told The Times. "They had their scientists and I had my lawyers with me. Their scientist said they had two professional cyclists who had tested positive for clomiphene and they can prove it had come from the embryos in eggs. That’s what their scientist said."
Carayol added: "We need this to be evidence-based. We need to be calm and assured. No shouting, no lobbing rocks. We think everyone has done the job they should have done but there’s an innocent victim here.”
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When will Conor Benn fight again?
Although Benn's future remains uncertain and there would clearly be hurdles to overcome before he could compete in Britain again, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman gave a straightforward reply when he was asked about the issue.
"He can fight," said the Mexico-based boss. "He is free to fight. He is not in any way suspended."
Speaking on February 28, Hearn said a decision would be made about where to apply for a license for Benn to fight, with his return "probably" taking place in June.
“It could be Nevada, it could be New York, it could be Britain, it could be an international license," Hearn told the DAZN boxing show, adding that the Middle East was also a possibility.
The UKAD development is problematic in terms of a Benn comeback because of what it might mean for everyone else associated with the event, from his opponent to undercard fighters, promoters and trainers. The likes of Hearn could face sanctions, including the withdrawal of their BBBoC licences.
UKAD operate under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency's WADA Code. All BBBoC licence holders are required to be compliant with the WADA code because the board adheres to UKAD rules.
Conor Benn's next fight
WBO welterweight king Terence Crawford — a former light-welterweight and lightweight champion — is on Benn's wishlist, according to Hearn.
The Matchroom Boxing boss also said Benn wants to fight boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who has retired from active competition.
"Conor has made it clear to me, he wants to go straight back in a big fight," said Hearn, speaking to DAZN Boxing. "I would prefer him to have a run-out.
"But he's made it clear, 'I want Chris Eubank Jr, I want Gervonta Davis, I want Kell Brook, I want Manny Pacquiao.' He still wants Chris Eubank Jr., Manny Pacquiao, even Terence Crawford."
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Conor Benn vs. Chris Eubank Jr.: Will the fight happen?
Eubank won new fans for a judiciously chosen, noticeably more diplomatic persona as drama drowned what would have been the most high-profile fight of his career.
He held back less as questions about Benn continued to shadow his unsuccessful showdown with Liam Smith in January. "You control what goes into your system," Eubank Jr told BBC Sport. "If you make the mistake, then you're guilty. I've never made the mistake.
"He can't be the star that everyone was trying to build him up to be. When you fail a drugs test, you take that aura away. My advice would be to lean into the bad boy thing. I've been doing it for 10 years — walking into arenas being booed, spat at, drinks thrown, trolled online day in, day out.
"I had to embrace that role. I was never the hero. I'd go into guys' backyards, go into the towns where they didn't want me to win. And really that seems like what he's going to have to do. Conor's lost all his privileges. There are no weight clauses. He's lost his credibility. He's lost his bartering power."
Money tends to talk truest in boxing. Given the riches on offer if Eubank and Benn meet, it is certain that there will be more leeway for compromise than Eubank has boasted.
"We sold out in a couple of minutes — the biggest grossing gate ever at The O2 Arena," Hearn told The Sporting News, calling it "one of the biggest British fights of all time" and describing the cancellation as "a crushing blow".
Hearn even cited higher powers. "Unfortunately, God didn't allow that fight to take place, but I believe he will one day," he hoped. "When he does, it'll be special."
Eubank had dismissed Smith, who knocked him out in the fourth round, by saying that he only needs to be at half of his best to beat the Liverpudlian.
Benn vs. Eubank Jr.: Where will the fight be held?
A rescheduled fight could take place at a much larger venue than the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena. "Obviously, we have to wait to see what comes out of the investigation," cautioned Hearn. "It can be [in a] UK stadium, an international stadium, anywhere. It's a massive fight."
Eubank agrees. "If and when the fight does happen, whether it's next year or two years or five years from now, it's a stadium fight," he said.
"Now we have our own story. Now we have our own reasons for wanting to get in that ring and fight. He has done wrong by me in terms of how he went about this whole thing. I don't like Conor Benn anymore. Before, I was neutral. That means that the story and the narrative and fight is so much bigger and so much more real."