British welterweight Conor Benn is adamant a return to action is imminent despite little information on his current licensing or suspension status.
Benn got temporarily suspended following failed drug tests, a ban he’d previously successfully overturned. The Londoner’s exile was reconfirmed earlier this year, and promoter Eddie Hearn promised that a full outcome would be made public. It wasn’t.
Now, at least one of Benn’s detractors believes there’s more to the story and that information about the case is being kept confidential. Whether that means Benn has agreed to a formal suspension at this point is only guesswork from his number one responder, Victor Conte.
Conor Benn’s comeback
The former BALCO boss took to social media again this week after Benn stated he was training hard for a comeback.
Conte said, “Why does Conor Benn say he is “Coming for it all at 147” when he does not have a boxing license, and there has been no update by UK Anit-Doping or the British Boxing Board of Control?
“It seems that his legal team has done more harm than good in his case. At least [his promoter] Eddie Hearn has stopped the daily hyperbole.”
In a previous questioning of the case, as Benn approached two years since his adverse finding, Conte stated, “It’s now July 2024, almost two years since Benn tested positive twice for a PED [performance enhancing drug]. Pseudoscientific explanations were given, but none prevented suspension by UK Anti-Doping. In my opinion, this case was handled horribly by Benn’s team, and Hearn’s hubris was not helpful. Still no adjudication?”
Like many watchful parties, Conte wants transparency surrounding Benn’s case, which is hard to get when confidentiality agreements stand in the way. Is Benn suspended until a specific date? Is that information not allowed to be made public? – Those are just two of the questions being asked.
Ranked by the IBF
Meanwhile, Benn has been quietly added to the International Boxing Federation Rankings at number three, an apparent sign that ‘The Destroyer’ will return to the ring soon.
It’s no secret that Jaron Ennis is struggling for opponents after Cody Crowley withdrew and David Avanesyan was swept aside in his last fight. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Hearn wants Benn to capitalize quickly on his lost time by facing Ennis in the coming months.
Benn has lost millions in prize money due to his fight with Chris Eubank Jr. falling apart, and if he aims to reignite interest, even sharing the ring with Ennis and putting in a good performance will open up the gates for Eubank again.
Transparency over his drug testing farce seems to be too much to ask, though.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
