By Shaun Murphy
Lawyers failed to justify keeping the long-awaited boxing fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank on, after both sides insisted on continuing with the scheduled fight this Saturday.
Promoters Eddie Hearn and Kalle Sauerland – as well as both Eubank Jr and Benn – on Wednesday insisted they still planned for the fight to go ahead.
Hearn’s Matchroom company challenged the Board’s refusal to sanction the fight, given the amount of money at stake if the fight did not go ahead as planned.
Hearn originally insisted that ‘there’s no reason, in terms of suspension, or violations, the fight should not take place’.
Extensive talks on Thursday afternoon aimed at reviving the dead bout finally failed, and the eagerly awaited fight will no longer take place this weekend as planned.
Both Eubank Jr and Benn were on six-figure purses for the big historic clash, but it now won’t happen.
Leading sponsors were already considering withdrawing their support for Conor Benn’s clash with Chris Eubank Jr if the bout went ahead without British Boxing Board of Control approval.
Up to three overseas sanctioning bodies are in the frame to approve the promotion in the event that Eddie Hearn failed to get the British Boxing Board of Control back on side. nothing has so far been heard of in that respect.
A U turn by the board could undermine their professional credibility, making it very unlikely they will yield to persuasions by the Board.
Matchroom Sport and Wasserman are currently trying to save the £15m clash despite Benn providing a positive test with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association last month. Benn, 25, returned an adverse analytical finding for a fertility drug which has threw his clash with Eubank Jr into serious doubt. The drug is apparently designed to increase muscle power.
The BBBofC have said they “prohibit” the bout taking place but the show’s promoters have involved lawyers to try to keep it on. It is understood a hearing is taking place on Thursday to decide the fate of the bout.
Eddie Hearn met with the BBBofC this morning and has threatened them with an injunction if they do not reverse their decision to banning of the bout, under their banner. No announcement by the board has been made reversing their decision. It appears there will be a lot of loss incurred as a result of the cancelled bout.
Matchroom, Benn’s promoters, have pointed out that his B sample has not been tested yet and so a rule violation has not been confirmed. A clear time has not been set for when the result of that B sample test will be obtained but it is not likely to come before Saturday, the date the Eubank-Benn fight is supposed to take place.
Broadcasters DAZN which suffered a huge financial hit when Canelo vs Gennady Golovkin was scrapped last month will be badly hurt if forced to refund all of the subscribers and pay-per-view buyers who wanted to see this catchweight bout, before the bad news emerged.
Hearn has also been criticised after footage of the promoter emerged of him saying it would be a mockery to ignore the finding of a drug test.
Hearn at the time said: “What is the point in signing up for drug testing if, when you fail, everyone just goes, ‘Oh don’t worry about, just let him fight’, you know?,” Hearn said. “The argument of ‘well it’s alright with UKAD’ is totally irrelevant, you’ve signed for drug testing with VADA – the best testing agency, in my opinion, in the sport. I really I wanted this fight to happen, but he failed a VADA test. You can’t ignore it, otherwise the sport’s a mockery.”atchroom, Benn’s promoters, have pointed out that his B sample has not been tested yet and so a rule violation has not been confirmed. A clear time has not been set for when the result of that B sample test will be obtained but it is not likely to come before Saturday, the date the Eubank-Benn fight is supposed to take place.
Yesterday Hearn remained determined to keep the fight on track by focusing on the testing carried out by UKAD. “Both guys signed up to a multitude of testing for this fight,” he said at yesterday’s open workout. “The UKAD testing, which is the testing agency that the BBBofC used and are governed by, have all been clear and negative, and there was an adverse finding on a VADA test previously, so there’s not been an official doping violation.
Hearn tweeted on Thursday afternoon: “Let’s see what today brings but to make one thing clear, I will not be promoting this fight with a foreign commission or alternative governing body on Saturday night.”
Speaking on the Matchroom Youtube channel, Hearn said, “Both guys signed up to a multitude of testing for this fight. The UKAD testing which is what the BBBofC use, have all been cleared and negative, and there was an adverse finding on a VADA test previously.
There has not been an official doping violation, there is a process that has to be gone through,” Hearn continued.
“Benn is not suspended by the BBBofC, he can’t be ultimately because he’s passed all the tests from UKAD.
“But clearly the BBBofC will take a position on it, we’ll deal with the lawyers.”
Former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton criticised the decision to allow Benn to fight. He wrote on Twitter: “Boxing does itself no favours. There should be no grey areas. If you fail a test you’re banned and in my opinion you should be banned for life.”
Both fighters still went out for their public work-outs following the news and believe the fight will go ahead as they prepare for a press conference later today.