‘We’ll know more early October’: Hearn hopes to see upcoming end to Benn’s UK ban

The Matchroom promoter is still loving the idea of Benn vs Eubank at Tottenham Hotspur or Wembley.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn is looking to see the UK ban of Conor Benn to come to an end in the next month or so as Benn’s lawyers are engaged in talks with UK Anti-Doping as well as the British Boxing Board of Control. Benn had his license suspended over a failed drug test and although he continues to deny that he knowingly took any banned substance, he’s had to deal with the repercussions anyway.

Benn hasn’t had a firm resolution on UK soil to date, but he’s since fought twice outside of the country in an attempt to keep his career from being completely frozen while he’s been entangled with the British authorities. That, according to Hearn, is a big deal because Benn is apparently quite the draw in the UK.

“Conor Benn’s return is going to be massive because when you talk about profile, outside AJ [Joshua] and Fury, Conor Benn’s profile is bigger than all of them.

“We’ll know more early October how that will play out. We’ve had a lot of questions asking why doesn’t he just take a two-year ban — the test was in June 2022. But to Conor’s detriment he’s never wanted to concede a ban because he believes in his innocence. He’s never wanted to do a deal, and it has cost him time.”

Hearn continues to beat the drum on a proposed fight between Benn and Chris Eubank Jr, with both of the respective fathers having fought one another in big shows back in the early 1990s. In that respect Hearn is intent on delivering the next generation of that fight, even despite the size difference between the two.

Benn last fought in the ring this past February in Las Vegas, outpointing little known Peter Dobson in a 12 round decision.