Boxing-BBBofC bars Benn v Eubank Jr. fight after failed dope test
LONDON (Reuters) -The governing body for professional boxing in Britain on Wednesday prohibited a catchweight fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. after Benn failed a dope test.
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) said in a statement that Saturday’s big fight at London’s 02 Arena was “not in the interests of boxing” and all parties had been informed.
Promoters Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing had said earlier that the bout remained on.
Their joint statement said Benn, whose father Nigel famously fought Eubank’s father and namesake 30 years ago, had “returned an adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug”.
The test was carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
It said Benn’s B sample had yet to be tested and there was therefore no confirmed rule violation. Benn had also subsequently passed a test carried out by the UK Anti-Doping Agency.
“Both fighters have taken medical and legal advice, are aware of all relevant information, and wish to proceed with the bout this Saturday,” the promoters’ statement said before the BBBofC made its decision public.
The fight was due to pit welterweight Benn against super-middleweight Eubank at a catchweight of 157 pounds.
Eubank senior last month called for the fight to be cancelled due to health concerns about dropping down to the weight limit.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
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