Middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr. has made it very clear that he’s the one calling the shots in a potential showdown with unbeaten welterweight Conor Benn.
Eubank and Benn were scheduled to collide last October, at a catchweight of 157-pounds, but the entire event fell apart during fight week when news broke that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance.
A few months ago, Benn was officially cleared to box by the National Anti-Doping Panel, but their decision has been appealed by the British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping.
With respect to the date, weight and location – Eubank believes that he’s without question the A-side of any negotiation to face Benn.
“Absolutely. He lost all his privileges when he failed those drug tests a year ago. I’m the A side. I’m the shot-caller in that fight. It will happen. The fight will happen. I can’t tell you when it will happen. He still has a lot of issues to smooth out and I have a lot of options to weigh up,” Eubank explained to Sky Sports.
“That fight [with Benn] doesn’t need to be rushed in anyway, in my opinion. Conor Benn isn’t going anywhere. The timing has to be right and he does need to be fully acquitted of the situation he’s in. He can’t have any appeals going on with the Board. He can’t have any drug agencies having him on a banned list or whatever the case may be.
“He has to be 100 percent clear for that fight to go ahead. As far as I’m concerned at this moment in time he isn’t. So that’s why I can’t say when that fight will happen. But it will happen.”
A few weeks ago in Manchester, Eubank secured his revenge by dominating and stopping former world champion Liam Smith. In January, Smith pulled off a shocker when he knocked Eubank out in four rounds.