Conor Benn has stated that he will never box with a British license again as he claims the Board ‘have it in for him.’
His statements come amidst an increasingly messy battle with the UK’s governing body, which all began when Benn was found to have a banned substance – clomifene – in his system.
The British Boxing Board of Control prohibited his fight with Chris Eubank Jr two days before it was due to happen, despite Benn claiming that they knew of the failed test well before.
There wasn’t much from the fighter or the BBBofC in the weeks following the postponement, however things have ramped up over the past couple of days. The Board released a statement to say that Benn had relinquished his license and that their allegation of misconduct against him had been formally upheld.
Benn feels that he has been treated unfairly and, in an interview with The Sun, the young welterweight has now doubled down on his feud with the Board.
“I won’t be boxing under the British board ever again. Now I know why my dad ripped up his licence on TV. I will not box for them ever again. The way they have gone about this. The way they knew about this. They could have pulled the fight.”
“I’ve given my licence back. I won’t be boxing for them ever again. As far as I’m concerned the board can do one. I’ve got nothing to hide but as far as I’m concerned they’ve got it in for me.”
“All the fighters who have tested positive and been cleared to fight. But with me they left it until days before the fight. I don’t know what their reasons are. Could it be because my dad ripped up his licence on TV? I don’t know. I don’t think they care about my innocence.”
His father, Nigel, had a rocky relationship with the governing body, and tore up his British Boxing license in Las Vegas after an impressive win over Iran Barkley in the first defence of his WBO Middleweight title.
These statements come as part of a larger story by SunSport that confirms Benn failed two tests – one in July and one in September. Robert Smith, the BBBofC’s General Secretary, today told TalkSPORT that there wasn’t much he could say on the subject due to ongoing legal issues.