Conor Benn’s fight against Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday has been postponed amid a threat of legal action against the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).
Co-promoters Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing conceded defeat in their attempts to stage the catchweight meeting at London's O2 Arena in defiance of the BBBofC declaring it was “prohibited” and “not in the interests of boxing”.
The BBBofC acted after it was revealed on Wednesday that trace amounts of fertility drug clomiphene, which elevates testosterone levels in men, had shown up in a recent test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).
Hearn stressed that Benn has not been suspended for the doping violation and in a statement released in conjunction with Wasserman Boxing, blamed the sport’s governing body for the postponement.
“It is undeniable that the British Boxing Board of Control’s decision to withdraw their sanctioning was procedurally flawed and without due process,” the statement read.
“That remains a legal issue between the promoters and the Board which we intend to pursue.
“However, whilst there are legal routes to facilitate the fight taking place as planned, we do not believe that it is in the fighters’ interests for those to be pursued at such a late stage, or in the wider interests of the sport.
“As promoters, we take our obligations and duties very seriously, and a full investigation will now need to take place.”
Wasserman Boxing’s Kalle Sauerland described the actions of the BBBofC as “totally inappropriate”.
Earlier in the day, Hearn used social media to rule out appointing an overseas commission to sanction the fight but retained hope that it could still be saved.
That prospect looked over, however, when the head-to-head press conference in a Canary Wharf hotel was repeatedly delayed and Benn left the same hotel, where he had been based, with his bags packed before driving off.
The undercard fighters followed soon after, their careers put on hold through no fault of their own.
Eubank Jr took to social media to make his feelings known, tweeting: “Conor got caught using an illegal substance so the fight is off. Can’t believe it.
“I really apologise to the fans and everyone that bought tickets, travelled and booked hotels, this should not of (sic) happened. He has escaped his schooling… for now.”
He later added: “Just got back to my hotel room to be greeted by another random drugs test… which as always I’m happy to take. 10 years and never failed one.”
Hearn refused to take questions at a press conference that was supposed to have been headlined by the fighters, instead claiming that Benn had not been treated fairly in the wake of his positive test coming to light.
“We do feel that Conor Benn hasn’t been given due process, like many others in this situation before him,” said Hearn, who denied reports that he had sought to challenge the BBBofC in the high court.
“We made a decision that we felt was in the best interests of the parties involved. This is a sport that is very, very dear to us. I hope you feel that the correct action has been taken.”
The bout was a continuation of the Benn v Eubank feud that saw the rivals’ fathers battle it out in two ferocious contests in the early 1990s.
A catchweight of 157lbs was agreed for the sons to continue the family feud into a trilogy fight, meaning Benn would have to move up two weight divisions and Eubank lose three pounds.
A new date for the fight must now be found and overseas options could be considered, with Benn, who insists he is a “clean athlete”, sure to be called to a hearing at the BBBofC.
Benn said in a statement: “I am truly gutted that we are unable to make this fight happen on Saturday. And I am sorry for everyone that has been affected by the postponement.
“I am still completely shocked and surprised by this and it has been a tough couple of days. My team and I will consider the next options, including rescheduling the fight. But my immediate focus is on clearing my name because I am a clean athlete.”
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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All about the Sevens
Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales
HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
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The Greatest Royal Rumble card
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
New schools in Dubai
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
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- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
