Eddie Hearn has responded to comments from the British Boxing Board of Control’s General Secretary, Robert Smith, in relation to Conor Benn.
The fighter failed two doping tests for the same banned substance in 2022, and is currently trying to clear his name in the eyes of fans and the WBC.
Much has been made about how the news of Benn’s failed tests came to light. He was days out from facing Chris Eubank Jr when the Daily Mail broke the story, and the Board ultimately decided to prohibit the bout.
It was later revealed that the fighters’ teams and the Board had all had the information on the failed test for weeks prior to the Mail article, prompting questions from fans – especially those who had travelled to the area for fight week – about why the cancellation was left so late.
Smith spoke to TalkSPORT recently, stating that there were legal hurdles his side had to go through between finding out about the failed test and taking action on the fight. He also said that Benn may never box in Britain again unless he can provide the sort of name-clearing evidence he claims to be in possession of.
Hearn, who has stuck by his fighter’s side throughout the scandal, was asked by Boxing Social for his thoughts on Smith’s assertion that the Board went public as soon as they could.
“Absolute b******t. Robert Smith had the information the same time as us, and the Board did. He went back with legals for five or six weeks? These same people that want to attack me – like TalkSPORT – don’t say to Robert Smith in that interview, why did you have the information for five or six weeks and not make a decision?
And he will say ‘oh because we were looking into it’ – but you want to pull the fight three days before and Matchroom take the blame while we’re waiting on our governing body to make a decision? The people who rule the sport.”
These media outlets want to start pointing fingers. Ask the Board. He’ll hide behind ‘legally’ … they had the failed tests and they chose not to cancel the fight.”
The man who conducted the interview, Simon Jordan, said on Twitter that he did indeed ask the question that Hearn mentions in response.
In a separate interview captured by Boxing King Media, Hearn said that the Board should ‘tread carefully’ because he believes there are things to come out that will put them ‘in a difficult position.’
Frustratingly for fans, there is still a huge amount of information being held back for legal reasons on both sides, and it’s almost impossible to form an opinion based on these digs and warnings.