How can Conor Benn still fight Chris Eubank Jr after testing positive for banned substance?

Conor Benn returned a negative finding for a banned substance just days before his grudge match with Chris Eubank Jr, but the fight is still expected to continue.

Nearly three decades after their fathers battled for the second time at Old Trafford, the two men will meet at the O2 Arena on Saturday, and this will still take place despite Benn’s A sample yielding a negative finding.

Here’s everything you need to know about the latest developments after Benn’s positive drug test.

What happened?

Benn has been informed that he has returned a negative finding for the banned substance clomiphene ahead of Saturday’s fight.

The substance has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the test was conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).

What is Clomiphene?

Clomiphene is a drug commonly used to treat infertility in women.

However, it can also be used to increase testosterone in men, which is why it is banned.

Will the fight still take place?

Sources have told Sportsmail that Eubank Jr is still eager for the fight to continue despite Benn’s positive test.

Meanwhile, Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted that the fight will still take place. Wasserman and Matchroom, who are jointly promoting Saturday’s event, released a joint statement on Wednesday in an effort to clarify the situation.

The statement reads: “We have been notified that a randomized anti-doping test for Conor Benn conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association produced an unfavorable analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug.

“The B sample has yet to be tested, which means no rule violation has been identified. Indeed, Mr Benn has not been charged with any rule violation, he has not been suspended and he remains free to fight.

Mr Benn has since passed a doping control test conducted by the British Anti-Doping Agency, the anti-doping authority to which the British Board of Boxing Control has delegated its pre-match doping control tests. Mr Benn has passed all doping controls carried out by UKAD.

“Both fighters have obtained medical and legal advice, are aware of all relevant information and intend to continue the fight next Saturday.”

Has something like this happened before?

In July 2019, Dillian Whyte returned a negative finding for the banned substance Dianabol ahead of his heavyweight bout with Oscar Rivas.

However, the matter only came to light after the fight took place, which Whyte won by unanimous decision.

Whyte denied any wrongdoing at the time and was later approved by UKAD, who considered the test “consistent with an isolated infection event”.

Meanwhile, former world champion Oscar Valdez tested positive for the banned stimulant phentermine ahead of his title defense against Brazilian Robson Conceicao last year.

Despite both his A and B samples showing the negative finding, Valdez was still allowed to fight and won on points.

Can the fight still be scrapped?

The fight is only three days away and has been heralded as one of the biggest domestic clashes in years.

With both fighters still willing to enter the ring, and the promoters insisting that Benn has been given the green light to fight, it seems unlikely it will be called off at this point.

However, Benn’s positive test could now leave a dark cloud hanging over this event, and there may be pressure from some to at least postpone the fight until Benn’s B sample is tested and it becomes clearer whether he is guilty. is on any wrongdoing or not.