Eddie Hearn expects Conor Benn to return to the ring in June.
The welterweight’s career has been the subject of uncertainty since his fight with Chris Eubank Jr, scheduled for October, was cancelled when it was revealed he had failed a drugs test.
Trace amounts of the fertility drug Clomiphene, which is known to elevate testosterone levels in men, had been found in Benn’s urine.
The relevant tests were taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association during July and September, and Benn, 26, who had denied intentionally or knowingly ingesting any banned substances, has since relinquished his licence with the British Board of Control.
Off the back of the WBC announcing it was reinstating him in its rankings and stating that there was “no conclusive evidence that Benn engaged in intentional or knowing ingestion of Clomiphene”, however, Benn – who is still to be cleared of any wrongdoing by UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control, who govern his sport in the UK – is preparing to fight this summer.
Hearn, his promoter, also insisted that he would never oversee a bill in the UK with an alternative governing body, but amid speculation of a fight between Benn and one of Eubank Jr, Manny Pacquaio and Kell Brook, potentially in Abu Dhabi, he told Talksport: “He will fight in June. Whether that takes place after or before a meeting with The British Boxing Board of Control.
“I believe he’s innocent, and he’s cleared to fight.
“I will also actively speak to Conor, and the British Boxing Board of Control, about going through the process to ensure that he gets a fair hearing and he tries to be able to box in this country.
“I do not want Conor Benn to fight around the world.”
The 33 year old Eubank Jr has already spoken of his desire to activate his rematch clause for a return fight with Liam Smith, who stopped him in January, but Hearn said: “I want to make the Chris Eubank Jr fight.
“If we can’t get it in the UK, which looks unlikely for June, I want to start that process. It’s both of them sitting down, with a blank sheet of paper and a clear head, to try and find out what needs to be done for Conor Benn to fight in this country again.
“But I’m ready, at the same time, after the WBC hearing, and after him being allowed to fight in any jurisdiction, to look at opportunities and potential fights.
“That’s the fight I would like. But, Kell Brook; Manny Pacquiao. They’re calling him out, so we’ll have to look at the options.”
