CONOR BENN’S fight with Chris Eubank Jr is definitely OFF after Eddie Hearn’s last-ditch bid to rescue it failed.
Saturday’s showdown was thrown into doubt yesterday when Benn failed a drugs test.
Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn will not go ahead this weekend
Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn was desperate to get it back on
The British Boxing Board of Control pulled the plug and refused to sanction the bout.
However, both fighters were said to still be happy to lace up the gloves.
The boxers’ promoters, including Eddie Hearn, worked desperately to get the catchweight 157lb fight back on – which was scheduled to be shown live on DAZN.
But now the decision has been made that the fight is NOT going ahead after all – with SunSport understanding talks will be held to to get it rearranged.
Just two days before the weigh-in it emerged Benn had failed a pre-fight drug test, which SunSport understands was taken on September 23.
He returned an adverse finding for clomifene, which is commonly used as medication to treat infertility in women who do not ovulate.
But it can also increase testosterone levels in men, which is why it is on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list.
SunSport also understands there could be an issue with a second test VADA took as part of the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program — but promoters Matchroom refused to comment.
Benn, 26, broke his silence to protest his innocence on Wednesday.
He said: “I’ve not committed any violations. I’ve not been suspended so as far as I’m concerned the fight is still going ahead.
“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.
Eubank Jr vs Benn: Ring walk time, live stream, TV channel and undercard info for London super-fight
“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 Benn’s claims of a conversation with his rival were shot down by Eubank Jr himself.
The 33-year-old Brighton fighter told Matchroom Boxing: “There was no phone call. We haven’t spoken since this was announced.
“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 ten 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.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS“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.”
The catchweight clash of 157lb was set to take place almost 30 years after their dads’ famous rematch, which ended a draw.
Eubank had won the brutal original bout three years prior.
The next generation fight for their sons three decades on was due to bank the duo around £3.5million.
Under-pressure Matchroom boss Hearn did all he could to get the show officiated at the O2 on Saturday night.
Hearn met with the BBBofC on Thursday morning and threatened them with an injunction if they commit to their banning of the bout, under their banner.
But then he spoke out to confirm the fight would only go ahead under the BBBoC jurisdiction.
He tweeted today: “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.”
And as the British authorities refused to budge, the fight could no go ahead, leaving the boxers, fans and broadcasters gutted.
DAZN suffered a huge financial hit when Canelo vs Gennady Golovkin bombed last month.
And the sports streaming app, which has lost around £4billion since its inception and failure to land UK Premier League rights, will be hurt drastically if forced to refund all of the subscribers and pay-per-view buyers who wanted to see this catchweight bout.
More to follow…
Benn pleaded his innocence and
Eubank Jr has had the multimillion-pound fight taken away
Dads Nigel and Chris Sr fought twice in the early 1990s
