The British Boxing Board of Control has called off the Chris Eubank Jr versus Conor Benn fight after Benn failed a failed drug test.
But promoter Eddie Hearn insists the fight will still go ahead and has sought legal advice on how to proceed.
Benn tested positive for the female fertility drug clomifene, which can also boost testosterone levels in men.
A BBBoC statement read: “On the evening of 4th October 2022, the Board of the British Boxing Board of Control Limited resolved that the contest between Chris Eubank Jnr. and Conor Benn scheduled to take place on 8th October 2022 is prohibited as it is not in the interests of Boxing.”
Benn has protested his innocence and insists the fight will still go ahead.
“I’ve not committed any violations. I’ve not been suspended so as far as I’m concerned the fight is still going ahead,” he said.
“I’ve spoken to Chris personally and we both want the fight to go ahead.
“We’ve both taken medical and legal advice and as I said, we want the fight to go ahead for the fans.
“I’ve signed up to every voluntary anti-doping testing there is under the sun.
“Throughout my whole career I’m tested. All my UKAD tests have come back negative throughout my whole career.
“I’ve never had any issues before. Even in the lead up to this fight my test have come up negative.
“So my team will find out as to why there’s been an initial adverse finding in my test.
“But as I said, the fight is still going ahead. I’m a clean athlete and we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
But Eubank Jr has dismissed Benn’s claim that he had spoken to him personally.
“There was no phone call. We haven’t spoken since this was announced,” Eubank Jr told Matchroom Boxing.
“It’s a shame. But my promoters, his promoters, the Boxing Board of Control, they’re going to sort it out.
“I’m ready, I’m clean, I’m 60 per cent. I’ve been tested my entire career for the last 10 years. I’ve been tested more than I’ve ever been tested for a fight during this training camp.
“I have an app on my phone where I have to designate where I’m going to be every single day and I’ve been on that app for my entire career and I will be on it for the rest of my career.
“They can come and test me for blood and urine unannounced whenever they see fit and I’ve never failed a test. I’ve even been tested on holiday.
“I don’t condone failed tests.”
Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn explained why he called in the lawyers.
“We’ve just seen the British Boxing Board of Control’s statement, which is pretty straight forward,” he said.
“It’s with the lawyers going backwards and forwards right now. Both guys signed up to a multitude of testing for this fight.
“The UKAD testing, which is obviously the testing agency that the British Boxing Board of Control use and are governed by are all clear and negative.
“There was an adverse finding on a VADA test previously. So there’s not been an official doping violation there’s a process that has to be gone through.
“Conor Benn is not suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control, ultimately he can’t be, because he passed all the tests from UKAD.
“But clearly the British Boxing Board of Control will take a position on it, we’ll deal with the lawyers.”
