UK welterweight Conor Benn has been warned that his UK boxing career will stall indefinitely if he cannot provide evidence of his innocence.
Benn failed two drug tests in the months before a since-scrapped fight with Chris Eubank Jr. Despite testing positive for the same substance in separate tests months apart, Benn claims his team has already cleared him of wrongdoing.
However, neither the WBC nor the UK Anti-Doping Agency has commented on anything provided by Benn’s team.
“The Destroyer” took a break from social media in the first few weeks. However, he’s come back quoting Martin Luther King and responded to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola regarding innocence until proven guilty.
Conor Benn has not proven innocence
But what Benn hasn’t yet done is given a definitive reason for the failures and proof he did nothing wrong whatsoever.
Therefore, the British Boxing Board of Control will not sanction the Matchroom Boxing fighter until he can clear his name.
Speaking to talkBOXING on talkSPORT, the BBBofC’s Robert Smith outlined the situation.
“He will not box on one of our shows in this country until he proves his innocence. To us and UKAD,” confirmed Smith. “UKAD acts on our behalf, so we take advice from UKAD.”
On not needing anything further from VADA, those who flagged the adverse findings, Smith added: “The difference between VADA and UKAD is VADA do the tests but don’t do any discipline.
“UKAD does the disciplinary matters. We take it on board because, like every other sport in the country, we’ve signed up with them.”
Benn now has to do more than hire one of the top sports lawyers in the country to get his career back.
“He will not box here in this country until he’s proved that there is an explanation,” stated Smith. “We licensed him at the time, and he has to explain the reason.
“There may be a very valid explanation. But anybody in the same situation would not box here.
“Even if you’re a foreign boxer licensed by Nevada. We must license them here for our insurance purposes. We still have to approve.”
‘A stain on UK boxing’
Under pressure due to constant discussions in the media and promoter Eddie Hearn on social channels, Smith then branded the whole debacle as a blot on the current UK boxing fraternity.
“This last year has been possibly one of the most difficult that I’ve done in my time as General Secretary or with the board.
“Of course, we are a great sport. If you look at the boxing side, we had a good year last year.
“It’s the periphery that’s been a disaster. And it has been a disaster. This has been a big stain on the sport’s reputation,” he concluded.
