Chris Van Heerden, the former opponent of Conor Benn, doesn’t see the timelapse to a statement-making any difference to the case.
Benn has faced trial by media and the boxing community since testing positive for a banned substance before his catchweight fight with middleweight Chris Eubank Jr.
However, the situation surrounding fans not knowing about an adverse finding in the main card when promoters did has left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
Last Saturday was due to be a celebration of a thirty-year rivalry between families. A chance for the sons of Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn to make their own name fighting out of their father’s shadows.
But Benn tested positive for a women’s fertility treatment on September 23. In what is a black eye to British boxing, event organizers knew about the failure and continued with the O2 Arena fight in London.
If it weren’t for a whistleblower who approached The Daily Mail, nobody would have been any wiser until after the October 8 fight.
It begs the question of how often this has happened in the past, putting boxers in danger against other fighters who tested positive.
Conor Benn ‘should get banned’
Van Heerden spoke to FightHub TV, questioning Benn’s improvements, victory over him in April, and future expectations to be cleared.
“It hurts because it’s an occupation where someone can die,” Van Heerden told FightHub TV.
“We’re in an occupation where two people go to work at night, and one of them might not come out alive. Fighters die.
“If you’re not going to play fair, why risk that? So, no. I feel that we need to be more strict that when a fighter does cheat, we need to be harsher.
“I feel like fighters get off way too easily. I feel like someone needs to set an example. This is the price you’re going to pay for cheating.
“They need to have a three-year ban or a lifetime ban. I know it’s harsh. You could potentially kill someone and take their life.”
Conor Benn beats Van Heerden in two
On losing in two rounds against a ferocious Benn at Manchester Arena, the South African welterweight added: “To have someone cheat and use something to beat you, I’m okay. I’m not a sore loser.
“I’m okay to lose to someone that has beaten me fair & square. But to lose to someone that potentially cheated hurts you.
“You question a lot of things. I fought Errol Spence, and Errol Spence hit me a lot. He didn’t wobble me once.
“I fought [Jaron Boots] Ennis, even though it went one round. I got caught by Ennis, but I didn’t go down.
“I’ve fought big punchers in my career, and I’ve never ever been dropped.
“Then I fight Conor Benn. He hits me, and I’m buzzed and out of it. It hurt my career. The loss to Conor Benn does hurt my career.
“Hopefully, this will put a little light on my career and say, ‘Hey, do you know what? Who knows?’ I’m disappointed.
“I don’t know if it’s true or what.”
Could Benn be innocent?
He concluded whether Benn could be found innocent: “I don’t believe a test on a B-sample ever changes.
“I believe it’s always the same. Very rarely does a B-sample come back with a different result.
“It sucks for boxing.”
UK fans have already waited a week for Benn’s B sample results, with a statement due in the coming days.
After being on the cusp of a world title shot, Benn is now reduced to fighting to save his boxing career. His reputation has already taken a huge knock.
WBN Editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. Furthermore, follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews, Instagram, and Twitter @worldboxingnews.
