Conor Benn slaps microphone after refusing interview at Anthony Joshua fight
The Briton, who returned two adverse drug-test results last year, rejected Talk Sport’s advances to speak at The O2
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Your support makes all the difference.Conor Benn slapped a microphone away in anger after refusing an interview at Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin.
The British welterweight failed failed two drugs tests in 2022 before the WBC later cleared him this year of ‘intentional doping’.
The postponed fight against rival Chris Eubank Jr could be rescheduled for later this year, sparking a morale debate in the industry.
And Benn, who was stipped of his licence by the British Boxing Board of Control, reacted angrily after being approached for comment by Talk Sport, reaching over a security guard before slapping the microphone away in anger.
Eddie Hearn had earlier confirmed a new fight for Benn could be confirmed next week, with Eubank Jr, 33, weighing up his options after suffering a TKO loss to Liam Smith in the fourth round.
Eubank Jr initially expressed his desire to activate a rematch clause to box Smith again, but Hearn has now said Benn vs Eubank Jr is back on the cards.
“I’ve been asked all night about that,” Hearn told the Daily Mail on Monday (27 March). “Apparently it’s imminent, but it’s not imminent; there are discussions going on.
“It’s the fight I would like to make on 3 June in Abu Dhabi, but it’s definitely not done. It’s become a bit personal between those two now.”
Benn, the subject of a UK Anti-Doping investigation, is currently unable to box in the UK but is allowed to compete elsewhere.
“Those two are privately [messaging] each other every day with obscenities at the moment, and that leads to a great promotion,” Hearn continued.
“Obviously part of me wants to see that fight, after it falling through the last time. We’ve had a couple of offers for Conor Benn to fight internationally, but for me I would prefer Chris Eubank Jr, but we’ll have to see what plays out over the next couple of days.
“I don’t think it’ll be long. [Benn] is training, he’s ready to fight, and within the next week we’ll hopefully have it finalised.”
Benn and Eubank’s fathers – Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr – fought each other twice in the 1990s, in one of British boxing’s great rivalries.
Eubank Sr stopped Nigel Benn in 1990, before the pair fought to a split draw in their 1993 rematch.
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