Conor Benn’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has spoken exclusively to Boxing Social about his fighter testing positive for a banned substance in the lead up to the fight with Chris Eubank Jr.
The fight, which was due to be staged in London on October 8, was pulled at the last minute when news of Benn’s test broke. Hearn, who has remained loyal to Benn throughout the allegations, ultimately made the decision to postpone the fight once the British Boxing Board of Control refused to sanction it.
On Conor Benn’s Upcoming Statement
“There’s going to be a lot of big news dropping soon on this, because it’s a very important matter for Conor Benn.”
“We have a lot more information than you do, and the public do. There’s no point really me canvassing to you about why Conor Benn might be innocent in this situation, because when you see the responses no one wants to believe you, no one really is prepared to believe you.”
“Trust me when I say, this is by absolutely no means a cut and shut situation. There is a huge amount of information that will come out that does not make sense yet. But again, people will just say ‘shut up Hearn’ and roll your eyes and give me some stick and abuse. But at the end of the day, let the truth come out and you can make your decision from there.”
“You’re going to be very surprised by some things that come out, I believe.”
“There is cause for us to believe that Conor Benn is innocent in this situation.”
On The B Sample
“Firstly, the B sample 99% of the time is exactly the same as the A sample. And, in this instance, again because of information you’ll see unearthed, there’s every chance that the B sample will be the same as the A sample.”
“Because of the way this sample was tested – and again, I can’t go into too much information – we will request that our scientific expert be present at the lab to open the B sample. Because of things that happened previously. That process is being undertaken by the lawyers of Conor Benn. We are not involved in that process but we will be aware of that process.”
“You could either let them open it, but in a case of this magnitude, you would always hire your own independent medical expert or legal team to go out and be present for that opening. All of this stuff will be unearthed, not just through an official hearing, but it’s likely that it will be made public as well by Conor Benn and his legal team.”
On Allegations Of Another Positive Test
“Let’s just say that there’s been a lot of rubbish written. Actually, [George] Warren reached out to say ‘just to let you know, we did not say that to the Daily Mail.’ That quote was also taken down by the Daily Mail as well. And again, that is part of the information that you will be given shortly by Conor Benn and his legal team. There’s another issue regarding that article which is being dealt with by Conor Benn’s team and, let’s just say I’ve read a lot of stuff that’s not true, and that will become present to you guys shortly.”
On Dr Usman – A Sports Doctor Who Has Made Comments On Doping In The Past
“Firstly, I don’t know Dr Usman. I think I’ve spoken to him once in my life. I believe – and again this is one for Conor Benn – that Conor Benn has met him once in his entire life and that was in the gym, and has not spoken to him before that, he’s not spoken to him after that, he’s certainly given him no advice in that respect.”
“I saw a clip of the video which didn’t look particularly good for boxing, but Conor Benn has had no association with him … It’s not like this guy has been working with Conor Benn, spending time with him – he hasn’t.”
“Tony Sims, who works with Conor Benn … he’s aware of every doctor that his fighters work with. And he will make those decisions, and there’s been no conversations regarding anything medical in that respect with Dr Usman. That will be part of Conor Benn’s statement next week that will give you all that information.”
On Clomifene
“The substance that was found in an adverse finding, is not a substance that you would ever take if you were being tested. You’d have to be basically idiotic … It’s something that stays in your system for a huge amount of time if you’re taking a course of this stuff – and this is what we’re finding out from various different bodies, from various different experts.
Watch the full interview, conducted by Boxing Social’s Charlie Parsons, on our YouTube channel.