Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom is currently mapping out the year for welterweight contender Conor Benn.
Benn was under a provisional suspension for two adverse drug tests, where the boxer came up positive for the banned substance clomifene.
The unbeaten fighter has been inactive since April of last year. He was scheduled to face Chris Eubank Jr. last October – but the event was called off when news broke that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance.
In April, Benn was formally charged by UK Anti-Doping. Last week, Benn took to social media to announce that he was officially cleared to box.
While UKAD has indeed lifted the provisional suspension, they have the ability to appeal the decision made by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel.
Additionally, the British Boxing Board of Control released a statement on Monday where they hinted at the possibility of appealing the NADP’s decision.
Benn, who is currently without a license to box in the UK, would have go through the BBBofC.
“He has an international license to box but I would like him to box in the UK. If they (BBBofC) appealed, that would slow down the process. A lot of people will be trying to convince them to (appeal),” Hearn told PA Sport.
“I don’t expect them to, but if they do, we’re here and ready – we’ve done it every day for a year. What’s another month or so? Hopefully we can all move forward. Everything that has been asked for Conor Benn, he’s done. I just hope that’s respected. At what point do you say ‘it’s been a year and a half since he’s boxed, how are we going to move forward?’.”
The plan, at the moment, is for Benn to box on a date in September and then have a bigger fight in December.
“I would like him to box in September. He wants to go straight into a big fight but he’s been out the ring for 16 months. (Benn fighting in) September and December will be great but we’ll see,” Hearn said.
“He’s ready to rip someone’s head off. When you talk about how low he’s been, there’s some people who are like ‘he deserves it, who cares?’ But what he’s been through would break most men.”