Last October, middleweight contender Chris Eubank Jr. was scheduled to face Conor Benn in a catch-weight pay-per-view showdown.
A few days before the fight, it was revealed that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance.
The fight was canceled when the British Boxing Board of Control [BBBoC] prohibited the fight from going forward.
Benn would eventually give up his British Boxing license. The unbeaten boxer has since been placed on a provisional suspension by the BBBoC and UK Anti-Doping [UKAD].
It later revealed that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance in a separate drug test which was administered a few weeks before the test in question which canceled the Eubank fight.
Eubank would schedule a middleweight fight against former world champion Liam Smith in January. And Smith upset the odds when he knocked out Eubank in four rounds.
While Eubank had the option to exercise an immediate rematch clause – he was also presented with the scenario of facing Benn in the Middle East.
Ultimately, Eubank decided to fight Smith for a second time – after the British Board threatened action against any licensed boxer who went forward with a fight against Benn.
Eubank is willing to entertain a showdown with Benn – but only after he clears up his drug testing scandal and regains his license to box in the UK.
“He needs to clear his name, get his British Boxing license back so that he can fight in the UK,” Eubank said. “We can do it when the fight makes the most sense where it is supposed to happen. He has to clear his name.”
Smith gave praise to Eubank to moving forward with their rematch.
He believes at this point Benn should face a suspension.
“If you’re innocent it shouldn’t take this long to prove you’re innocent. He went silent for two to three months, because you’re trying to find the best sports lawyers and nutritionists to look at a loophole round how it got in his system,” Smith said.
“I knew in the background they were trying their best to make the Benn fight. I think the final straw to them not making that fight was only two weeks ago when the BBBoC stood a little bit firm. The post the BBBoC put out was basically, I think, aimed at Eubank: If Eubank goes ahead and fights Conor Benn he’ll be dealt with.
“And fair play to Chris I think he’s probably thought in the long run, ‘where do I go after Conor Benn if I burn my bridges with the BBBoC?’ If he fought Conor Benn then he’d have thought I’ll never have the chance to avenge this loss.”