Fans Rip Conor Benn For His Comeback Comments
Conor Benn remains confident that he can get his boxing career back on track, which has resulted in huge criticism from the boxing fan base.
Ben suffered serious reputation damage after failing VADA tests for Clomiphene, which resulted in his Chris Eubank Jr. fight being called off. Ben argued that it was a case of contamination, something he never proved. As an investigation continued, UKAD suspended him. The National Anti-Doping Agency responded by removing the suspension. However, that was not the end of the saga.
Benn’s Issue
Reports indicated that it was due to an issue of jurisdiction. This meant that UKAD could not enforce the findings, leaving Ben free to box outside of the UK. Since he did not have a British license, he took on Rodolfo Orozco and Peter Dobson, beating them both via unanimous decisions in the US. However, the major talking point was that Ben’s knockout power was no longer there.
This raised suggestions that his prior explosiveness could have been due to the use of PEDs. The substance Clomiphene is known for being a masking agent to hide other PEDs. Ben was then suspended again by UKAD as an investigation continued. The boxer faces a serious battle to save his reputation, as a ban would confirm that he did intentionally cheat. However, even if Ben is cleared, the mass inactivity has damaged his boxing career. Despite this, Ben was confident that he would be able to get back to his best and show the public what he was all about.
Benn Reacts
“Forget the narrative that’s being pushed. The people who had done the test cleared me a year-and-a-half ago. I had passed all my UKADs [drug tests] during that same period. So their authority I had passed. This is something I’m willing to fight for and have fought for. I’m glad it’s coming to an end [next month]. I haven’t bent. I haven’t swayed on the truth. That’s all that matters to me – my integrity. If it were titles [I was fighting for], I would have had this case closed two years ago. The reputation still stands. The integrity stands,” Benn said
Nevertheless, there are serious question marks over Ben’s next opponent. He will likely have to take a tune-up fight before he eyes the big bouts. The period out of the ring is crucial since Ben will need to sharpen his skills and fight under the bright lights in the UK for the first time in a prolonged period. He may also not suffer much love from the British as the failed test divided public opinion.
It is also difficult to see where his next opponent is. He was linked with Mario Barrios, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia to name a few. Neither of those fights were close to being made, leaving Benn short of options. However, once his legal case is resolved, he will be in a better position to work out his next move.
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