Conor Benn wishes he had handled the news of his two positive drug tests a bit better than he did.
The embattled British welterweight opened up in a recent interview that saw him tear up and apologize to fans for the brash way he acted initially.
Benn has been mired in controversy since last October when it was revealed that he had tested twice for the banned performance-enhancing drug clomifene that led to the cancellation of his high profile fight with Chris Eubank Jr. Benn has repeatedly maintained his innocence and has acted belligerently against those who have questioned his stance, most notably against the British Board of Boxing Control. Indeed, Benn has largely failed to cooperate with the board’s investigation. Benn’s tests were performed by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, widely regarded as the premier drug testing organization for combat sports in the world.
Benn’s change in tone follows news recently that he has been formally charged by United Kingdom Anti-Doping, meaning he and any of his handlers (trainer, promoter, etc.) are subject to sanctions by the British board as they comply with UKAD protocol.
Benn is without a British board license as he relinquished it last year, so he cannot legally box in his native country. However, Benn has also repeatedly stated that he is content never having to fight in England again. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, has been working to get Benn on a card either in the Middle East or in the United States later this summer. June 17 has been floated as a possible date.
But in a recent interview, Benn seemed to soften his hardball stance.
“I’d just like to say one thing. I’d like to fight back home,” Benn told SecondsOut.com. “Me saying in an interview that I had no plans of returning to England immediately, I take that back, I take that back.”
“Because that’s my home and there’s a lot of supporters there. I’m not turning my back on them based on the minority that have a loud voice. That’s one of the things I do take back.”
“When it first all came out and the media was pushing this narrative, I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t say anything,” Benn continued. “The narrative was heavily pushed. I was guilty before even having a chance. I was a little bit bitter towards the public, I was a little bit bitter towards the boxing community, I was angry.
“I’m emotional, I can’t help it, people know I’m emotional, it’s just the way I am, I’m an emotional guy. I fight with emotion, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I say what I feel like I wanna say.
“Maybe it wasn’t the right thing, maybe the way I dealt with it wasn’t right. And I know it wasn’t right, and I apologize to the public.”
Sean Nam is the author of the forthcoming book Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing.