Conor Benn gives up boxing licence as BBBofC council finds him guilty of misconduct after failed pre-Eubank drug test
CONOR BENN has ripped up his British boxing licence over his escalating doping row that wrecked his Chris Eubank Jr fight.
The board of control called the 26-year-old welterweight son of ring legend Nigel to a hearing on Friday to discuss a misconduct charge.
But the undefeated ace is so furious with how they have handled his case that he is refusing to comply and has been hit with a handful of charges.
SunSport understands a fine of around £50,000 was issued but - if Benn has renounced his arrangement with the BBBofC - he might escape paying it.
An official statement read: "By a notice dated 17th October 2022, Mr. Conor Benn was called by the Board of the BBBofC to attend a hearing dealing with allegations of misconduct pursuant to Rule 25.1.1.
"The hearing took place on 21st October 2022.
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"On the morning of the hearing, Mr. Benn voluntarily relinquished his licence with the BBBofC.
";In accordance with its Rules and Regulations, the Board determined the allegations following the hearing at which Mr. Benn was legally represented.
"The allegations of misconduct against Mr. Benn were upheld."
Benn is furious that the governing body was aware of a failed test as early as August but showed no urgency in cancelling the catchweight bout.
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Instead they waited until two days out of the sold-out O2 and pay-per-view clash to withdraw their sanctioning of the contest and force its cancellation by Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn.
The Essex fight boss expects Benn’s legal team to prove his innocence soon, with an explanation based on his sample getting contaminated.
And he has accused the board, who have handed their doping policing and sentencing to Ukad whose tests Benn passed, of leaking information about the case to the press.
He said: “Conor Benn never had a chance to have a hearing before the fight. They just sat on it and leaked it to the press and went from there.
“Everything in the results of this test – which you’ll hear from Conor - leads to contamination.
“The levels in this amount, surrounded by the other testing that took place, would lead to suggestion of contamination of some kind in this test.”
Benn will have to fight abroad but that will only happen when the case is closed.
He could then fight in the UK as an overseas fighter, although it is frowned upon.
WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury boxed Dillian Whyte earlier this year on a Nevada licence.
Benn's fight camps will also take place abroad.
The Brit has accused the BBBofC of making it difficult for him to focus on clearing his name.
He said in a defiant statement: "Conor's focus at this time is solely on clearing his name.
"The Board, however, has made it extremely difficult for Conor to focus on doing that by its conduct of an unfair and biased procedure.
"In such circumstances, Conor decided not to renew his licence (which had lapsed).
"Conor told the Board that if it did not accept that his licence had lapsed, then he renounces it.
"He strongly refutes the allegation of misconduct (which for the avoidance of doubt is *not* in relation to the VADA issue) and firmly believes that an independent tribunal will reach a wholly different conclusion.
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"At the appropriate time Conor will speak out on this and on the doping allegation, to the extent that he can while legal proceedings are ongoing.
"In the meantime he reiterates, in no uncertain terms, that he is a clean athlete."