What happened with Conor Benn's failed drugs tests? Saga explained ahead of Chris Eubank Jr showdown

Yahoo

25-04-2025

After two-and-a-half years of waiting, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will settle their rivalry in the ring on Saturday night.
It is a fight built on their surnames and one that was set to take place at a catchweight of 157lbs in October 2022, despite concerns over the risks of Eubank cutting down so much having spent much of his career at 168lbs.
However, that bout fell through due to Benn failing two drugs tests.
That controversy has fuelled the bad blood in the build-up to this weekend's grudge match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it remains a cloud that hangs over the event.
Just days before the pair were due to fight in 2022, it emerged that Benn had failed two voluntary drugs tests for the female fertility drug clomifene.
Despite claims from promoters that the bout would proceed as planned, it was called off and Benn has spent much of the two-and-a-half years since attempting to clear his name, maintaining his innocence throughout.
Benn gave up his British boxing license after the positive tests and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) suspended him in March 2023, though he insisted he was still free to fight outside of the UK.
The WBC initially removed Benn from their world rankings but reinstated him in February 2023 and suggested the failed tests could have been caused by a "highly-elevated consumption of eggs".
However, Benn distanced himself from that explanation, instead pointing to 'testing errors'.
"At no point did I indicate that I failed any Vada tests because of contaminated eggs," said Benn.
"As part of its lengthy investigation, the WBC instructed its own experts to review my supplements and diet, and they concluded that egg contamination was the most likely cause.'
The National Anti-Doping Panel (NADA) lifted Benn's suspension in July 2023, however that decision was appealed by UKAD and the BBBoC and he was subsequently provisionally suspended again in May last year.
Benn had by that point had two fights in the USA, recording low-key wins on points over Rodolfo Orozco and Peter Dobson.
That suspension was withdrawn in November 2024 after the NADA ruled it was "not comfortably satisfied" that UKAD had proved Benn had committed an anti-doping violation, and the both UKAD and the BBBoC opted against appealing that decision.
Benn took to social media to announce that the NADA had 'finally cleared me of any wrongdoing'.
The verdict of the independent panel has left Benn free to continue his career and fight in the UK, with Saturday night's bout his first on home soil in more than three years.