Conor Benn revealed to Piers Morgan that the British Boxing Board of Control filed several misconduct charges against him over a drug test matter.
The British welterweight, who faces not being able to fight in his homeland due to an ongoing investigation into two separate failures, is livid with the governing body.
Benn believes he’s innocent and that testing procedures were faulty due to adverse findings from one doping agency [VADA] and an all-clear from the other [UKAD].
Conor Benn’s misconduct charges
Speaking to Talk TV’s Piers Morgan, uncensored in a video interview since the story broke in October, Benn said the misdemeanors stem from the Chris Eubank Jr. fight.
“They can’t stop me from fighting. In this country, fine,” pointed out Benn to Morgan.
“They filed seven misconduct charges against me. One was we wanted the fight to go ahead. The Second was we didn’t tell Chris Eubank Jr immediately.
“I thought, ‘You lot can do one.'”
On his perception in the media, since the test failures were revealed, Benn added: “I can’t believe how much the public wants me to be guilty.
“There are boxing pundits telling me I’m guilty. They know me, they know my family, and they know what I stand for. Why are you trying to label me a cheat?”
Asked by Morgan what should happen to drug cheats, Benn concluded: “They should be banned for life, especially in contact sports, banned for life.”
In a previous aim at the BBBofC, Benn laid the majority of blame at its doors for what has been crippling for his mental health.
Attacked in a difficult time
“The BBBoC attacked me publicly and privately during the most difficult time in my life,” said Benn, “They treated me with utter contempt and without any consideration for fair process or my mental state.
“I am aware that many people will not even read this statement in full. They continue to make snap judgments without thinking. There is nothing I can do to change that. But I take comfort in what I know is true and have proven with evidence: I am innocent.”
He continued: “I wouldn’t wish for my worst enemy to experience what my family and I have gone through. But the next time I step into the ring, I will be
mentally tougher than I ever was before.”
After an inconclusive WBC investigation, Morgan challenged Benn on his “proven with evidence” theory. However, Benn has run with this. He claimed he was entirely exonerated when the WBC couldn’t see deliberate intent to ingest the clomiphene.
Exoneration through Manny Pacquiao
Benn still has much to prove, especially to the skeptical UK fans. He aims to do this by gaining a license out of Britain and knocking out a 44-year-old two-year retired Manny Pacquiao.
If the fight happens as planned, Pacquiao will go into it because of a loss to Yordenis Ugas and an exhibition against a YouTuber.
It’s hard to see how that kind of triumph would benefit Benn at this career stage.
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