Conor Benn breaks silence on UKAD appeal verdict as boxing future uncertain

Conor Benn is carrying on with business as usual after being left facing an uncertain future on home soil. The UK Anti-Doping Agency and British Boxing Board of Control reportedly won an appeal against the verdict to lift his temporary suspension after testing positive for the banned substance clomifene in the buildup to his fight with Chris Eubank Jr in 2022, which was cancelled.

The 27-year-old was hit with a provisional suspension when he first tested positive and he has not competed in Britian since then. Benn and his team attempted to reverse the ruling and he was cleared to fight in the UK by the National Anti-Doping Panel in July.

But according to the Daily Mail, the British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping won their own appeal against the suspension being lifted. The news is a big blow to Benn's hopes of resuming his career in the UK, but the welterweight has responded to the decision for the first time via Instagram story post.

Alongside a picture of the fighter after what appeared to be a gym workout, he wrote: “Work ethic unmatched. Block out the noise and stay focused!” At the time of his positive drug tests, Benn voluntarily relinquished his British boxing licence which made him unable to fight in this country.

His UK fight ban was lifted in July 2023 following a ruling by the National Anti-Doping Panel, before the BBBofC and UKAD lodged appeals. According to the Mail, it is unclear whether his British-based suspension could be reimposed and both the BBBofC and UKAD declined to comment.

Throughout the ordeal, Benn has maintained his innocence and previously stressed he will do what it takes to clear his name. His representatives insist he remains free to fight and no suspension has been ordered.

"I'm willing to spend every last penny I have and fight to the death to prove my innocence,” Benn said during a previous appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. “My name matters more to me than anything else, fighting is fighting, but your name stands forever and so for me it's been hard, it's been challenging, but I've got a good team around me."

"There's many things in my life I've gone through, this is probably one of the worst things. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy.” Earlier in March, the prospect of Benn fighting boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was discussed by promoter Eddie Hearn.

He is eager to compete against one of the greatest boxers of all time. Hearn appeared on iFL TV to discuss the possibility of the fight taking place and revealed that London could be the city to host it.

“We all want to make that fight. Manny flew in for talks and to watch the show in Saudi, so that’s what we’d like to do,” the boxing promoter said. “Quite frankly, we could do Conor Benn vs Manny Pacquiao in a stadium in London. It’s a fight I like. He’s [Pacquiao] an eight-division world champion, I think it’s a 50/50 fight at this stage, to be honest.”