Conor Benn (21-0, 14 KO’s) will make a controversial return to the ring in Orlando on Saturday night when he faces Rodolfo Orozco (32-3-3, 24 KO’s) over ten rounds on the undercard of Richardson Hitchins’ super lightweight fight with Jose Zepeda.
Benn hasn’t fought since April 2022 after twice testing positive for the banned substance Clomifene in two separate VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) tests ahead of his proposed catchweight grudge match with Chris Eubank Jnr, which was originally scheduled for October 2022.
Benn has protested his innocence since the very start of the process but was formally charged by UK Anti-Doping in April and provisionally suspended. In July an independent National Anti-Doping Panel announced that he was clear to fight. It was widely reported that the verdict was based on matters of jurisdiction.
Last month, the British Boxing Board of Control and UKAD both appealed the decision to lift Benn’s provisional suspension. Those appeals are still unresolved.
Speaking on Talksport on Tuesday – before Benn officially announced his return – Hall of Fame promoter, Frank Warren, said “There has been no hearing for him to explain why those prohibited substances he tested positive for where in his system. He has given no explanation to UKAD who do that on behalf of the board. He has not done that. They had a hearing where they argued quite successfully – his lawyer is a top guy – about jurisdiction. It shouldn’t be about jurisdiction. It should be ‘Why is that in your system? How did it get in there? Please give us a valid explanation and by the way, we want to look at the B sample as well.”
When asked if he believes Benn should be fighting in Orlando or anywhere else this weekend, Warren was steadfast in his belief that Benn needs to see the whole process through fully before returning to the ring, not just for his own reputation but for the sport as a whole.
“No. If he’s got any respect for boxing and the people around him have got any respect for boxing, they should go through the process,” he said. “I’m not saying that because I’m the opposition. I’m saying it because the furor and all the uncertainty and nonsense that has gone down for the last 18 months or so has damaged boxing and he’s the catalyst for it and he’s the catalyst to make himself right. If he says he’s not been juicing then have the hearing with UKAD.”
This content was originally published here.
