CONOR BENN’s misconduct charge was not doping related, claims his promoter Eddie Hearn.
The 26-year-old was set to fight Chris Eubank Jr in a hotly anticipated bout before it was called off just days before they got into the ring after Benn allegedly failed a drugs test.
The British Boxing Board of Control refused to sanction the fight and despite appeals it did not go ahead.
Hearn has said the BBBofC misconduct charge that Benn received had nothing to do with performance enhancing drugs,
When asked what they were about Hearn replied: “I can’t tell you. All I will tell you is it is not in relation to a doping ban.”
Benn voluntarily relinquished his licence after a hearing with the BBBofC that took place after when the fight was scheduled.
On the fighter giving up his licence, he said: “He felt they were outrageous and he wasn’t gonna be allowed the correct process, so wanted to take his fight to a higher level.”
Hearn was asked if Benn would have been banned of he didn’t give up his licence, to which he said: “I don’t think so, but what he would have had to do is pay a misconduct charge that he thought was outrageous.
“He didn’t believe on the basis of that he would get a fair trial.”
According to reports his sample may have been contaminated.
But Hearn has slammed the governing body telling talkSPORT: “Conor Benn never had a chance to have a hearing before the fight. They [BBBofC] just sat on it and leaked it to the press and went from there.
“All information around the test will be released by Conor Benn in due course.”
Benn is also furious that the governing body was aware of a failed test as early as August but showed no urgency in cancelling the catchweight bout.
There has been reports that suggest Benn, the son of former boxing star Nigel, could be in line for a four year ban if guilty after the test showed a high level of clomifene.
The drug is commonly used to treat infertility in women but can increase testosterone levels in men and is therefore banned.
Benn has broken his silence since the bout was called off saying that he hopes “the apology is as loud as the disrespect”.
His father Nigel has also gone on record to claim he is a clean athlete.
Meanwhile, Eubank Jr’s dad Chris, has said he knows who is responsible for the positive test.
He claimed he thinks he knows who “tricked and slurred” Benn.
