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Eddie Hearn has revealed that Conor Benn’s fight with Chris Eubank Jr. will most likely take place on February 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The pair were on the verge of rekindling an old family feud dating back decades when their highly anticipated fight was scheduled for last October.
However, on the eve of the fight, it was revealed by Mail Sport that Benn had tested positive twice for the banned substance clomiphene in the build-up to the fight.
The promoters of both fighters attempted to continue the fight, but when lawyers failed to obtain a Supreme Court order, the fight was suspended.
Benn maintained his innocence and spent “hundreds and thousands” on scientists to clear his name after traces of clomiphene were found in his samples.
Eddie Hearn Says Conor Benn’s Fight With Chris Eubank Jr. will take place on February 3
Benn’s grudge match with Eubank Jr (left) was halted last year after the failed drug test
Hearn has named the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the likely destination for Eubank vs Benn
A provisional suspension imposed by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) was lifted by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel in July.
But UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control decided to appeal that decision.
Mail Sport understands that an appeal may not be heard, let alone resolved, until December or January.
That is why Hearn wants Benn to be able to continue his career in Britain as long as the trial is still ongoing and he is not suspended by UKAD.
Therefore, the Matchroom promoter has decided to continue scheduling the all-British fight between Benn and Eubank Jr.
Hearn has now revealed that the fight between the two will most likely take place on February 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Speaking to iFL TV earlier this week, Hearn said there was still work to be done on the deal, but insisted they were extremely close.
During an interview with Mail Sport last month, Benn revealed he had done just that struggled to come to terms with the fact that people will always associate his name with last year’s positive drug tests and revealed how his father fell into a deep depression during the height of his clomiphene case.
When asked how he felt about the fact that people will always associate his name with the negative finding, Benn said, “You know what, it was really hard for me to accept at one point. I thought, I don’t even want to fight. If this is how it’s going to be, I don’t even want to fight.
‘It took my love away from boxing. Everything. The sooner you come to terms with it, the sooner you accept it, this is what it is. If I could change the testing they do for clomiphene then it would have been worth it in the end.
‘I still wanted to work with UKAD, regardless of the outside. I am willing to work with them and that goes without saying. I wouldn’t have spent all this money, hundreds of thousands of euros in legal fees and scientists, for nothing.
During an interview with Mail Sport last month, Benn revealed he was struggling to come to terms with the fact that people will always associate his name with last year’s positive drug tests.
“So if we can change the law on it, that would be great. I can’t say it was worth it because what I went through was so hard. But I would feel better about the situations. That something good came out of this.”
Benn – who previously admitted to having suicidal thoughts after his career was threatened – went on to speak about the impact the situation has had on his family.
The 26-year-old said: “It has definitely taken a toll on my family. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my father so depressed. I’ve never seen him so bad. It’s been a difficult time. Then there’s Tony, Eddie, everyone has suffered from this in the last year.
“It wasn’t anyone’s fault, it was just a situation that happened and there was nothing we could do to prevent it from happening. Could we have handled the situation better? Yes, we could have done that, but you live and you learn. That’s that. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so here we are.”