Conor Benn - What Next?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hearn Says Conor Benn 'Will Resume His Career in 2023’, Wants To Match Him Against Eubank, Tank

The return of Conor Benn is apparently not up for debate, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.

The head of Matchroom Boxing unambiguously indicated in a recent interview that his embattled charge would return in the first six months of 2023.

“Conor Benn’s gonna return either early 2023, or mid-2023, that’s a fact,” Hearn said on The DAZN Boxing Show earlier this week.

Benn was originally scheduled to face fellow Briton Chris Eubank Jr. in a 157-pound catchweight bout last October in what was supposed to be a generational reprise of the storied British boxing rivalry between their fathers, Nigel Benn and Eubank Sr., in the early 1990s. But three days out from the fight, Benn tested positive for a banned substance, clomifene, leading to the cancellation of the event.

The adverse test result, which was produced by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, was known to the fighters, the organizers (Hearn and Eubank promoter Kalle Sauerland), and the British Boxing Board of Control, the regulatory body for prizefighting in the United Kingdom, for nearly two weeks before the Daily Mail, a British newspaper, published their findings during the week of the fight. Hearn and Sauerland were both keen on moving forward with the event, despite the revelations and the widespread public outrage, and were, at one point, considering solutions such as obtaining a court injunction or enlisting the services of an outside boxing commission.

Thereafter, it was revealed that Benn had tested positive for the same substance earlier in the summer. Clomifene, the banned drug in question, is used for fertility purposes; when used by men, it can boost testosterone levels. Neither Benn nor Hearn divulged this information at the time of the first-known failed drug test, leading to the view that they deliberately misled the public.

In another move interpreted as a sign of guilt, Benn voluntarily relinquished his license with the BBBofC on the morning of what was supposed to be a misconduct hearing. The WBC also dropped Benn from their welterweight rankings.

Recently, Benn reportedly submitted a nearly 300-page document to the WBC and VADA in a bid to prove his innocence. He went on social media recently to vent his exasperation with the time it has taken to produce a resolution.

Hearn seemed to suggest that he may be willing to take Benn on the road, if he ends up being unable to fight in England.

“Conor is very frustrated right now,” Hearn said. “Tough luck … But he submitted all the evidence to clear his name and now we’re waiting on VADA and the WBC to make their decision. We want that decision as soon as possible. But the fact is that Conor Benn can fight—not anywhere in the world—but most places in the world right now. He’s not banned by anyone. He can apply for a license [anywhere]. We don’t want that. We want the hearing.

“This is why we want to go through the process so that people can see the facts. A decision can be made, it can either clear his name, he can receive a ban, which I do not think will be the case, and he can progress with his career. He can progress with his career now. But we want his case to be heard because otherwise you’ll have people just accept that.”

“That’s why you’ve seen the social media activity from Conor Benn” Hearn continued. “C’mon guys, make your decision. We’ve submitted all the evidence that we needed to. When do I fight out? The fact remains that Conor Benn will resume his career in 2023.”

Already looking toward matchmaking possibilities, Hearn floated the idea of pairing Benn with Eubank and, in one of the more curious matchups, Baltimore lightweight star Gervonta “Tank” Davis later this year. For Eubank’s part, the veteran middleweight is still very much open to fighting Benn. Eubank will take on Liam Smith Jan. 21 in Manchester.

Talk of Davis and Benn possibly fighting each other erupted recently after the two went back and forth on social media in the wake of Davis’ domestic violence charge. Davis is still set to fight Hector Luis Garcia this Saturday at Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C. in a Showtime Pay-Per-View main event. A Davis-Benn fight, in any case, is unlikely as Davis’ handler, Al Haymon, and Hearn are business rivals.

“I love the fight between Gervonta Davis and Conor Benn,” Hearn said. “Why not? Gervonta Davis has boxed at lightweight and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind fighting at 147 or close to [it].”

“I think that the Chris Eubank fight is one of the biggest fights in boxing,” Hearn continued. “Gervonta Davis is another huge fight. I’ve never even thought about that fight and now you see the back and forth and you think yeah, yeah, those two together would be fireworks.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Deserter]

Hearn's utterly shameless. Listen to the Robin Reid episode of Boxing Life Stories and you'll hear how he allegedly wouldn't even return Reid's calls when Reid found out via a fan that Kenny Anderson had been banned for drugs after Reid had lost to him Apparently just texted him telling him to take it up with the BBBC. Tells you all you need to know about the man.

[Boxerbeetle]

I’ve generally got very little interest in watching Conor Benn anyway, since he almost exclusively fights overmatched, over the hill, smaller guys.

But I will be curious to see how he fares without being roided up to the gills like he blatantly has been over the last few years.

[Ruthless-RKO]

How late is early 2023??

March? April?

[Counter-puncher]

Hearn's utterly shameless. Listen to the Robin Reid episode of Boxing Life Stories and you'll hear how he allegedly wouldn't even return Reid's calls when Reid found out via a fan that Kenny Anderson had been banned for drugs after Reid had lost to him Apparently just texted him telling him to take it up with the BBBC. Tells you all you need to know about the man.

that was Eddie? god, i didn't think he'd been involved in boxing that long, Kenny Anderson, crikey.
but yeah like you say, says it all

[skanksta]

I’ve generally got very little interest in watching Conor Benn anyway, since he almost exclusively fights overmatched, over the hill, smaller guys.

But I will be curious to see how he fares without being roided up to the gills like he blatantly has been over the last few years.

You'd be interested to see him fight Tank or CEJ then ?
I would !

(I wish I wasn't interested at all and could just ignore all drug cheats, but this is the real world..)

[Boxerbeetle]

I’ve generally got very little interest in watching Conor Benn anyway, since he almost exclusively fights overmatched, over the hill, smaller guys.

But I will be curious to see how he fares without being roided up to the gills like he blatantly has been over the last few years.

You'd be interested to see him fight Tank or CEJ then ?
I would !

(I wish I wasn't interested at all and could just ignore all drug cheats, but this is the real world..)

I’d prefer him to fight Wilder tbh, but suppose Tank would do.

[smiling assassin]

Tank is a lightweight I’m not saying Benn is by any means a world beater (far from it) but he would be too big for Davis. I want To see Benn in against Ava and get sparked clean out

[Ruthless-RKO]

Tank is a lightweight I’m not saying Benn is by any means a world beater (far from it) but he would be too big for Davis. I want To see Benn in against Ava and get sparked clean out

Benn was about to go in at 157.. he probably walks around heavier. Must kill him to get to 147 already.

I would like to see him in with Kelly (only cus it nearly happened) and Ava is a good one.

Benn was ready to fight Kelly before his loss to Ava.. as soon as Ava beat him, Benn didn’t mention Ava once.

[Boxerbeetle]

I think Tank would beat the shit out of a non-PED Benn.

[emallini]

He will take an easy fight then the Eubank fight will be made again.

[blanca]

I think Tank would beat the shit out of a non-PED Benn.

I do. A clean Benn is shite.

[garethhop]

So Benn will definitely fight early 2023. Thats a fact.

Or maybe mid 2023.

And against Tank.

Eddie working hard at keeping his two main guys relevant despite their problems....

[keithmoonhangover]

So Benn will definitely fight early 2023. Thats a fact.

Or maybe mid 2023.

And against Tank.

Eddie working hard at keeping his two main guys relevant despite their problems....

Can you knock a promoter for promoting?

[Twinkle Toes]

Less eggs

[garethhop]

So Benn will definitely fight early 2023. Thats a fact.

Or maybe mid 2023.

And against Tank.

Eddie working hard at keeping his two main guys relevant despite their problems....

Can you knock a promoter for promoting?

Nope. But you can call bullshit.

[coneye]

Think Eddie will look for one possibly two big fights then ditch him after he loses both, think we all know without the peds he's not gonna do to well , unless they feed him stiffs , but i doubt they will get away with that now so its gonna be SAYONARA Mr Benn

[wrighty]

I hope they do feed him to Chris junior as a clean fighter. Chris would write him off

[skanksta]

I hope they do feed him to Chris junior as a clean fighter. Chris would write him off

He's gonna be fed to someone.
He's less of a draw since the scandal and less of a fighter clean. So he's now less box office and less good.
I agree Tank beats him easily, but would rather see him fed to someone else - @ WW if poss and Smith/Ava/Kelly/CEJ if not.

[coneye]

I hope they do feed him to Chris junior as a clean fighter. Chris would write him off

He's gonna be fed to someone.
He's less of a draw since the scandal and less of a fighter clean. So he's now less box office and less good.
I agree Tank beats him easily, but would rather see him fed to someone else - @ WW if poss and Smith/Ava/Kelly/CEJ if not.

He really has turned into quite a disliked young man has'nt he , thats what happens when you try to COMMAND instead of EARN respect

[Oiky]

Couldn't give a f**k if he never put gloves on again

[Deserter]

Couldn't give a f**k if he never put gloves on again

x2

[TheLeprechaun]

"My team have proven my innocence "

[Boxerbeetle]

As an interim measure, maybe he can release an audiobook where he reads out his 270 page statement of innocence.