Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn | PPV - 26 April 2025

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ricky]

As Malignaggi points out, if this were any other sport, the athlete that tested positive would be suspended or banned instantly, but not in boxing.

“Conor Benn has failed a doping test. My first take on this is that’s not a drug that you can take on accident,” said Paulie Malignaggi on Paulie TV about Conor Benn’s failed drug test for the banned substance clomifene.

“I don’t think this fight should happen regardless of anyone’s opinion. You have a failed drug test here, and I hope this fight doesn’t happen. I know I’m hearing that they’re still trying to make it happen, but we’ll see.

“It’s frustrating and unfortunate. This would have been a very interesting fight. In any other sport, the athlete would be banned or suspended instantly without questions asked. Only in boxing can this failure happen, and people are still talking about maybe there’s a way the fight can still happen.

“These drugs can be masking agents. A lot of these drugs do other things that become situations where they’re performance enhancers. Not all performance enhancers are steroids.

“I don’t know if the drug that Conor Benn failed for or if there’s another hidden use that it can do to benefit athletes. The fact that it’s on a banned list shows that there is something. It could also be a masking agent that can prevent positive tests for other drugs that somebody is taking.

“If it’s on a banned list, then it’s on a banned list for a reason. Also, because it’s a women’s drug, it’s not a drug that you’re going to take on accident.

“I’m not saying it’s obvious with Conor Benn, but he did get stronger recently. This was also a weird fight where they were meeting at a different weight at a catchweight. Naturally, they’re separated by three weight classes.

“So this isn’t like a normal fight that you’re used to seeing ever in boxing until recent times. I’m one of those people that think the media and the TV networks cause a lot of the fighters to start doping because they had such a high demand for the constant weight class jumps.

“They made weight classes seem irrelevant, and they want guys to constantly jump up in weight. They give too much credit for jumping up weight classes and winning titles in so many different weight classes.

“It’s not really something that’s possible unless you’re doping. You start to consistently have weight class jumping and making weight classes irrelevant; you’re going to naturally invite performance enhancers into the sport, and that’s really frustrating to see.

“It’s a joke what they’ve turned this sport into. You’re going to be inviting these types of situations where guys are failing doping tests. Even if they don’t fail, they’re forced to do this type of thing.

“If you have a sport full of dopers, what happens? If you’re a fighter, you’re going to dope yourself to protect yourself because if you go in clean against a doped-up fighter, which is more than likely once you reach a high of a certain level, you probably are fighting a doped-up fighter.

“This isn’t a Rocky movie. Nobody beats a doped-up fighter when you’re clean. Benn and Eubank, they’re trying to figure out a way for it to still happen. Why? Because there’s so much money on the table. All of a sudden, safety becomes not the priority anymore.

“As soon as money becomes so high and you can put safety aside, they try to do it.

He's right with a lot of that - but it also applies to the rehydration cause. When he says 'safety is not the priority anymore', you can apply that to rehydration weight clauses, which are just defacto same-day weigh-ins, which were banned for that very reason; so no boxer will fight in a dehydrated state. It boggles my mind they can simply re-introduce same-day weighs in by adding a few lines to a contract. It will probably take a dehydrated fighter to get killed, or sue someone, for it to stop.

[jimmystone]

Mirror reporting they could be looking at an exhibition..

That the BBBofC knew about Benn being a proven drug cheat before the Mail (probably) phoned them to let them know what was going to press and hadn't binned the fight already is a discussion for another day; that they reacted to an impending media storm and the spotlight being focussed on boxing because this story was about to break because they believed the fact the information was going to be made public changes everything in terms of the negative impact it has on the image of boxing.

If the media hadn't ever got the story the fight would in all likelihood have been in the best interests of boxing. That the media have got the story mean it isn't.

Like I said, whether the board have, seemingly, being prepared to let things slide providing they are not in the public domain, and, if so, whether they have any credibility whatsoever as an organization is a discussion for another day.

[jimmystone]

As Malignaggi points out, if this were any other sport, the athlete that tested positive would be suspended or banned instantly, but not in boxing.

“Conor Benn has failed a doping test. My first take on this is that’s not a drug that you can take on accident,” said Paulie Malignaggi on Paulie TV about Conor Benn’s failed drug test for the banned substance clomifene.

“I don’t think this fight should happen regardless of anyone’s opinion. You have a failed drug test here, and I hope this fight doesn’t happen. I know I’m hearing that they’re still trying to make it happen, but we’ll see.

“It’s frustrating and unfortunate. This would have been a very interesting fight. In any other sport, the athlete would be banned or suspended instantly without questions asked. Only in boxing can this failure happen, and people are still talking about maybe there’s a way the fight can still happen.

“These drugs can be masking agents. A lot of these drugs do other things that become situations where they’re performance enhancers. Not all performance enhancers are steroids.

“I don’t know if the drug that Conor Benn failed for or if there’s another hidden use that it can do to benefit athletes. The fact that it’s on a banned list shows that there is something. It could also be a masking agent that can prevent positive tests for other drugs that somebody is taking.

“If it’s on a banned list, then it’s on a banned list for a reason. Also, because it’s a women’s drug, it’s not a drug that you’re going to take on accident.

“I’m not saying it’s obvious with Conor Benn, but he did get stronger recently. This was also a weird fight where they were meeting at a different weight at a catchweight. Naturally, they’re separated by three weight classes.

“So this isn’t like a normal fight that you’re used to seeing ever in boxing until recent times. I’m one of those people that think the media and the TV networks cause a lot of the fighters to start doping because they had such a high demand for the constant weight class jumps.

“They made weight classes seem irrelevant, and they want guys to constantly jump up in weight. They give too much credit for jumping up weight classes and winning titles in so many different weight classes.

“It’s not really something that’s possible unless you’re doping. You start to consistently have weight class jumping and making weight classes irrelevant; you’re going to naturally invite performance enhancers into the sport, and that’s really frustrating to see.

“It’s a joke what they’ve turned this sport into. You’re going to be inviting these types of situations where guys are failing doping tests. Even if they don’t fail, they’re forced to do this type of thing.

“If you have a sport full of dopers, what happens? If you’re a fighter, you’re going to dope yourself to protect yourself because if you go in clean against a doped-up fighter, which is more than likely once you reach a high of a certain level, you probably are fighting a doped-up fighter.

“This isn’t a Rocky movie. Nobody beats a doped-up fighter when you’re clean. Benn and Eubank, they’re trying to figure out a way for it to still happen. Why? Because there’s so much money on the table. All of a sudden, safety becomes not the priority anymore.

“As soon as money becomes so high and you can put safety aside, they try to do it.

He's right with a lot of that - but it also applies to the rehydration cause. When he says 'safety is not the priority anymore', you can apply that to rehydration weight clauses, which are just defacto same-day weigh-ins, which were banned for that very reason; so no boxer will fight in a dehydrated state. It boggles my mind they can simply re-introduce same-day weighs in by adding a few lines to a contract. It will probably take a dehydrated fighter to get killed, or sue someone, for it to stop.

x2 the fighters are, as has always been the case, being exploited by their own advisers IMO. Nobody should be advising anybody to sign a contract that limits their ability to properly hydrate themselves. I accept Loynsey's point from yesterday that lawyers are ultimately acting on the instruction of their clients but there surely must be an ethical responsibility to prevent an individual who may not be intelligent enough to look out for their own best interest when they see dollar signs in their eyes?

[THEBUTCH]

Solicitors, while acting on their client instructions, can also give advice and if someone was to say Solicitors never disobey their client, it would be a falsehood. The unscrupulous ones just do their best to cover their tracks.


Anyway, i haven't listened to the above Billy Nelson interview but i agree with the title piece....i feel for Eubank Jnr. I've no reason to doubt he was doing everything he could to fulfil his part of the deal.

He has often underdelivered in the ring, but he also brings a sense of professionalism that others sometimes lack !

[Ruthless-RKO]

Tony Bellew and Ohara Davies

The heavyweight is not the only Briton to come under fire this week. Ex-Sky Sports and current DAZN pundit Tony Bellew, a staunch advocate for clean sport, faced a reminder from an old social media sparring partner.

Ohara Davies, who battled a barrage of abuse in the past, said: “Hi Tony, how are you?

“You were so quick to tweet when it was to throw me under the bus years ago. Can I get your opinion on recent incidents of today?

“Or are you scared DAZN might fire your a** if you talk? Personally, I believe Conor is innocent until proven guilty. You?”

“The Bomber” didn’t respond to Davies’ request for an opinion.

[Gran Hermano]

I bet Nostril Ellerbee is loving this.

Eddie Hearns taking another shellacking.

Paid a fortune for a blown up bodybuilder who dare nor engage and his number 2 now pished dirty.

The fall of Matchroom has been epic.

Fall of Matchroom for the British fighters. However they have Bivol v Ramirez, Chocolatito v Estrada closing this year. The biggest name in boxing (Canelo) working with them the past few years. They are still number 1 in their field however if they put this fight on this weekend I hope they go into liquidation. Disgusting that they are even fighting this tbh

[Ruthless-RKO]

Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr takes fresh turn as 'talks for revised weight requirements'

Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr are reportedly discussing a 'possible revision of the weight requirements' as talks continue to ensure the contest takes place despite Benn's failed drugs test.

This is according to reports from Daily Mail journalist, Riath Al-Samarrai, who tweeted: "It's my understanding that among the many conversations currently going on behind the scenes of Eubank-Benn, is a possible revision of Eubank's weight requirements."

Al-Samarrai is the same reporter that broke the news that Benn had returned adverse analytical findings for the banned substance, clomifene in a drugs test carried out by VADA. Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn recently confirmed that they are seeking legal advice over staging the contest after the British Boxing Board of Control 'prohibited' the bout.

As part of those discussions, Al-Samarrai understands that revised weight requirements are being evaluated.

[Boxerbeetle]

If this does go ahead, all non-DAZN media should boycott it. Virgin should pull the PPV option from their platform and insist DAZN refund anyone who’s already bought it, BBC should refuse to broadcast the live commentary, Boxing News should refuse to report on the fight except for criticising its existence. Hitting Matchroom in the pocket is the only thing which will hurt them.

[samwbr]

If the Board prohibition is around the weight then is the failed test irrelevant (legally) given they don't recognise VADA?

[samwbr]

If this does go ahead, all non-DAZN media should boycott it. Virgin should pull the PPV option from their platform and insist DAZN refund anyone who’s already bought it, BBC should refuse to broadcast the live commentary, Boxing News should refuse to report on the fight except for criticising its existence. Hitting Matchroom in the pocket is the only thing which will hurt them.

People love a freak show.

[maverick23]

If the Board prohibition is around the weight then is the failed test irrelevant (legally) given they don't recognise VADA?

The failed test is irrelevant in that Benn isn’t suspended. Given all the noise around it though the board have prohibited the fight seemingly because of the negative light it brings on boxing.

[maverick23]

So it seems like they’re spoilt for choice re: other sanctioning bodies wanting to sanction the fight. Will make things potentially tricky for the undercard guys. The other rumour is of it being an exhibition.

Looks like they’re finding a way to keep the fight on.

[Ruthless-RKO]

So it seems like they’re spoilt for choice re: other sanctioning bodies wanting to sanction the fight. Will make things potentially tricky for the undercard guys. The other rumour is of it being an exhibition.

Looks like they’re finding a way to keep the fight on.

Who wants it?

Luxembourg? Malta?

[Dioufy]

It’s mental that the BBBC don’t have the power to stop fights happening in this country.

Same situ for Haye v Chisora.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Dioufy]

So it seems like they’re spoilt for choice re: other sanctioning bodies wanting to sanction the fight. Will make things potentially tricky for the undercard guys. The other rumour is of it being an exhibition.

Looks like they’re finding a way to keep the fight on.

Who wants it?

Luxembourg? Malta?

Cracking opportunity for Russia to regain some face.

[Monzon83]

If this does go ahead, all non-DAZN media should boycott it. Virgin should pull the PPV option from their platform and insist DAZN refund anyone who’s already bought it, BBC should refuse to broadcast the live commentary, Boxing News should refuse to report on the fight except for criticising its existence. Hitting Matchroom in the pocket is the only thing which will hurt them.

I agree it's a stain on the sport and it's basically disregarding a positive drug test so a bulked up steroid cheat (that's what Benn is) can fight a dehydrated Eubank Jr.

It's just wrong on all levels isn't it?

[Dioufy]

Hearn just confirmed he won’t be promoting this fight with a foreign sanctioning body.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Update

[tony1234]

BIBA obviously not a foreign commission , so either either them, the BBofC fold or the fight doesn't take place. I wonder what the financial considerations are on this fight for DAZN and Matchroom, whether it is shit or bust for them ?

[Nightmare Roy]

The worst thing is.. at the time of this video.. Hearn already knew about the failed test.

And so did the BBBC! Yet they waited until yesterday to ban the fight. If the Daily Mail doesn’t report then then the fight still happens with the VADA test swept under the rug.

Promoters, manager and fighters will almost always focus on the money. It’s the board that need to rise above it.

The BBBoC have repeatedly shown their true colours. Just as much scumbags as Hearn.

If it's true, they are clearly not fit for purpose.