Despite the talks of a Manny Pacquiao fight, Conor Benn has revealed that he’d rather settle the score with Chris Eubank Jr next.
The pair were due to fight on October 8 2022, but just days before news broke that Benn had tested positive for a banned substance in his VADA drug testing programme.
The British Boxing Board of Control prohibited the fight, and Eubank went on instead to face Liam Smith in January of this year, resulting in the first stoppage loss of his career.
Meanwhile, Benn has spent the time between then and now in a battle outside of the ring. The 26-year-old is adamant that he’s a clean athlete and that the banned substance wasn’t in his system despite two tests, months apart, saying otherwise.
A recent ruling from the WBC that found no evidence of ‘intentional ingestion’ has seen him return to their world rankings, and, alongside promoter Eddie Hearn, he’s now getting ready to made a comeback.
With a date in June in mind, Benn has been in talks with eight-division world champion, Pacquiao. However, Hearn recently revealed to Boxing Social that it’s one of three options on the table.
“We’re in negotiations with Manny Pacquiao, we’ve had a number of site offers to stage Manny Pacquiao against Conor Benn.”
“Conor Benn also wants to tear Chris Eubank Jr to pieces, he wants that fight badly. We love that fight, it’s a massive fight.”
“There’s another fight that we’re looking at as well. Conor Benn’s next fight will take place in America or the Middle East, it will be one of three men, of which Manny Pacquiao is one.”
Benn has now made it clear his ideal opponent, sharing a picture of a face off with Eubank Jr with the caption ‘the one I want next.’
Eubank has activated a rematch clause to face Smith for a second time, however the Liverpool man has revealed that there have been no further talks and he’ll be pushing for confirmation soon before moving on if he doesn’t get it.
The fight between Benn and Eubank was set to be a huge event, mainly due to the familial grudge after their fathers – Nigel and Chris Sr – fought twice in the nineties.