Ben Shalom fails to see how the World Boxing Council factors into Conor Benn’s attempts to turn back the results of two failed drug tests.
Benn, the embattled British welterweight, and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, have repeatedly insisted that the WBC’s ongoing investigation will result in a verdict that will vindicate Benn and restore his tarnished reputation. Hearn has stated that he expects Benn to fight in the first half of his year.
Benn has tested positive twice for a performance-enhancing drug, clomifene, a fertility drug that promotes the growth of testosterone when used by men. The existence of one of the tests led to his highly anticipated 157-pound catchweight showdown with Chris Eubank Jr. last October.
Ben Shalom, the head of Boxxer, a British promotional company that competes with Hearn’s Matchroom, pointed out in a recent interview that the WBC’s decision has a relatively limited sphere of influence. Outside of ranking Benn and allowing him to fight for their titles, the WBC would not be able to, say, levy a ban on Benn. The WBC removed Benn from its welterweight rankings last October.
“I don’t know what the WBC have to do with whether he’s fighting or not,” Shalom told iFL TV. “They’re not an authority or commissioning body or anything so I’m not really sure.
“I’ve got no agenda in this anymore. I don’t care. I really don’t care. Other than there’s no sport where there should be no more of a zero tolerance than boxing to failed drug tests. And until it’s clear that he didn’t fail a drug test or that whatever happened happened, which is looking hard to prove, then what are we even talking about? I think all this is is that you can’t stop me from getting in the ring in any country in the world, whatever. That’s all this is.”
In December, Benn’s lawyers submitted a 270-page document to the WBC as “evidence” of Benn’s innocence. Benn, as well as Hearn, has confidently referred to this document as exculpatory, citing “science.” Earlier this week, the Daily Mail reported that the WBC’s verdict is imminent.
However, Benn is also under a separate investigation headed by United Kingdom Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control. On paper, the outcome of the UKAD investigation should be more significant than the WBC’s since the former could actually impose a ban on Benn.
It was reported recently that Benn’s team has not been as forthcoming with officials in the UKAD investigation as with those in the WBC.
“The WBC have nothing to do with it,” Shalom said of Benn’s status. “I think that it’s a danger to the name of the sport. I think you see that with the reaction. Again, I don’t have any agenda. I just think, what, how can that happen? And why would anyone involved or cares about the sport be pushing it to happen until the governing body of where the crime happened or where the incident happened for a fight in this country has given you the clear.
“They’re the authority, the British Boxing Board of Control. There’s no point in blaming them or pushing it on them and saying it’s them and this and that. It is what it is. I just don’t understand why anyone in the sport is going against that, just to make a few quid. Again I don’t have any agenda.”
Shalom, whose company showcases its stable of fighters on Sky in the UK and ESPN+ in the US, believes it would be disastrous for boxing if Benn were allowed to fight without heeding protocol from the BBBofC.
“I’ve got nothing against Conor Benn at all, but just do it the normal route and make sure we follow guidelines so that the sport is not brought into disrepute, because what’s going to happen in three months if he’s fighting?” Shalom said. “Do you not think anyone is going to look at boxing and think what’s going on there? Everybody’s going to have to ask questions. …Maybe it’s what’s needed so we can completely rip up the rulebook and find a different way of regulating this sport because this obviously isn’t working.”