Promoter Eddie Hearn is beginning to doubt whether a deal between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. can be agreed upon.
Hearn had previously been confident that a deal would be signed and delivered for February 3, with the fight taking place at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in London. Hearn had been vocal regarding his confidence that all parties could agree to a deal following Benn’s clearance to box following his anti-doping testing failures.
Benn had been previously scheduled to fight Eubank Jr; however, he failed two VADA anti-doping testing procedures in the lead-up to the contest, which was ultimately cancelled days before the encounter on October 5.
The National Anti-Doping Panel has since cleared Benn to resume his career; however, that decision has since been appealed by the British Boxing Board of Control along with UK Anti-Doping. Benn coincidently returned to the ring for the first time since April of 2022 this September in Florida against Rodolfo Orozco, claiming a comfortable points win.
In recent weeks, the BBBofC general secretary, speaking via TalkSport, confirmed that Benn did apply for a BBBofC licence, but the BBBofC has since rejected this request due to Benn not proceeding with the ‘proper exculpatory procedures.’
Hearn, currently in the United States, spoke to various media outlets regarding the ongoing situation with Benn-Eubank Jr saga, insisting that Benn will fight early in the new year regardless of the opponent.
“In terms of a delay, perhaps this fight can happen in the future, but Conor Benn is fighting at the end of January or early February,” Hearn told Boxing Social. “We’re not waiting around. He’s in camp, ready to go, he’s fighting. It’s going to be a proper fight. If he wins the fight, maybe at the end of the summer or whatever we can look at the Eubank fight, I don’t know.
“The Eubank fight is there, ready to go for February, at [Tottenham Hotspur Stadium], 70,000, but we can’t get it over the line yet with Eubank. He’s been very difficult in negotiations but I understand, you’ve got your number that you think this fight is worth and we’re not there.”
“Will we get there within the next 24, 36 hours?” Hearn said. “Maybe. The first fight took eight or nine weeks to sign. I’ve seen the offer. I just don’t know any other fight that gets within a third of the number. But Chris is Chris. You know? He’s a stubborn guy and he’s going to do what he thinks is right, and I can’t knock that. But hopefully he’ll get the right advice and we’ll get it done.”
Hearn conceded that his initial deadline to confirm and announce the fight between Benn and Euabnk Jr has already expired but has remained hopeful that it can be confirmed saying that ‘British boxing need the fight.’
“As long as we can get it announced and up, we can do that press conference the first week of January,” Hearn said. “I don’t mind, the buildup to that press conference is going to be unbelievable. But we are running out of time, there’s no two ways about it, and we’re probably two days past our intended deadline. But we do wanna make the fight. British boxing needs the fight.”
