Tip Toe Through The Minefield…

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

An opinion piece from the only Donald worth listening to…

Full Stop – In British English grammar a full stop is a lengthy pause, in the US, you call it a period. In the UK that tends to suggest feminine products. Here it means a period of time where I look at something in boxing in a little more depth. I am typing from my perspective of a fan who watches the sport closely. It’s an opinion. It is my opinion. Don’t like it? There are other opinions out there but if you don’t like it then good, debate and democracy are a good thing. If you do like it, feel free to spread the word.

Tip toe through the minefield

February the third.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.

Back to the Future – a Benn may yet face a Eubank.

In the world of boxing, there is just so much crazy you can take until it starts to become a stratosphere beyond the circus. But in the UK, we have managed to put together another level of crazy with Chris Eubank Jr. allegedly due to fight Connor Benn.

It is a fight which was due to happen in October 2022, however Connor Benn was found to have failed two drugs tests and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBB of C), removed their sanction of the fight and it was called off.

Benn was enraged, the promoters were embarrassed and the whole episode became one long saga. But now, it is going to take yet another windy, twisty turn on its way to either being sanctioned or the face of British Boxing is about to be changed for the foreseeable future.

Now, stay with me as I try to explain.

We go back to the shock news that Connor Benn failed a drugs test, within days of their showdown in 2022. Benn was a WBC ranked fighter and was fighting Eubank Jr. at a catch weight. Their fathers lit up boxing in the eighties and were recognizable names that captured the imagination of non-boxing fans. This is the only reason the fight was being made. Benn was gaining nothing out of it towards a world title and Eubank was risking a lot by coming down in weight to take on Benn.

In the end, as the fight was called off, Eubank Jr. fought Liam Smith twice, losing the first fight dramatically which was blamed on the weight drain he needed to get ready for Benn. The story of what Eubank Jr. did next is relatively straightforward, until you meet his father. Eubank Sr. made it known that he did not want his son to fight Connor because the weight drop was dangerous. As both he and his son have been in the ring with fighters who have ended up with life changing injuries, they know a thing or two about the fight game and the damage it can do. Senior all but disowned Junior. Whilst Junior fought twice, once with Roy Jones Jr. as trainer and the second with Brian “Bomac” McIntyre as his trainer, the circus of his life seemed, aside from falling out with his dear old dad, Bomac being arrested on his way back to the US as he was carrying a firearm and constant concern over whether he had a trainer or not, lacking the complexity of other fighters.

And then, dear old dad decided to “adopt” Harlem Eubank, his nephew as “his new son” and began to guide his career. Having fallen out with his first protegee he was now guiding his second. Tragically his brother, Harlem’s father had had recently passed. Senior wished to step in and fill the void. After all, Harlem Eubank was becoming a big thing on terrestrial TV – on Channel Five and so, having headlined a show recently and won, Senior decided it was time for the smaller nephew, his new son, to call out one fighter – Connor Benn…
Now that is the simple and straightforward side of the story.

Benn during all this time, became an irate boxer, calling out everyone who was against him, allegedly refused to cooperate with authorities who he claimed had an agenda against him and wanted to keep him out of the ring as they had been prejudiced against his own dear old dad. His ranking with the WBC was suspended after the failed tests and he fought to have his innocence proven. He submitted 270 pages which was to claim there were processing errors, namely with the laboratory. The WBC refuted his claim but “cleared” him. They said he ate too many eggs, and he came out and said that was rubbish. For now.

Also, for now he was back in the WBC rankings. He though he could fight again and being cleared the pathway was… go after Junior again.

But Benn had a problem, and this was a second investigation to be carried out by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD). His promoter, Eddie Hearn tied to make the fight in Abu Dhabi but the BBB of C stepped in and threatened people involved with their licences so people had to calm down. Benn then went to UKAD, and discussions began around clearing his name a second time.

Once he began that process all pathways led to the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP). In the meantime, VADA and the BBB of C suspended him from boxing, and he made his case. On one side, VADA and the BBB of C, the other Connor Benn. The result was that the NADP lifted the suspension and Benn was cleared to fight, unless there was an appeal. There was an appeal. Benn was not clear to fight in the UK. He was clear to fight elsewhere. And so, he fought elsewhere.

In the meantime, having said the eggs defense was a daft one, he engaged doctors who came out and proved that the drug – clomafine – was something he could well have had in his system because he was susceptible to having it, but it was a naturally occurring phenomenon and the doping tests used in boxing were too unsophisticated to resolve things.

The appeal was on the basis that Benn’s clearance from the NADP was based upon a technicality – who had jurisdiction – rather than on any evidence that he had not taken the banned substance. The appeal over the lifting of the suspension is due to happen in early 2024. It may, however end up in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Connor Benn went back to boxing last September, with a Florida boxing license by fighting in the US against Roberto Orozco. What we would call a tick over fight was a full on experience that reminded us that Benn could fight.

But people wanted the money fight of Benn v Eubank. Eddie Hearn, who has backed him throughout campaigned for it. They want it in the UK, because that is where it shall do big numbers. They applied for a license from the BBB of C, and surprise, surprise, the Board turned them down.

What now, people have asked.

They could fight under a different licensing body like the British and Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) or the Professional Boxing Association (PBA) both of whom license fights in the UK. Matchroom and Eddie don’t want to, but they might. The BBB of C have warned that anyone involved in that fight may have their BBB of C licenses – ultimately for many of them their livelihoods – taken from them. Hearn has hinted at legal action. He has met with the PBA and says they appear very professional and have a big future in boxing…

Still with me?

Much of this has been traded on social media or in the media. The BBB of C went on national radio to announce and explain why Benn was not getting a license. They did not get back to the promoter, Eddie Hearn or the fighter, Connor Benn first to explain the situation but went public.

Here is the thing for me. I don’t want to see the fight. It makes little sense for a boxing fan. It is a circus that has taken over the airwaves and ended up on message boards and X with vehemently denied this and appallingly reacted to that. If we spent the same amount of time trying to get Benavidez and Canelo or Bivol v Beterbiev I would be a happy fan.

The Saudi Arabian bill on the 23rd of December is another moral maze and whilst I do not wish to see anything in a country with such an appalling record of human rights abuses especially to women and the LGBTQ+ community, it is actually a decent bill with some massive names and fantastic fights. I can swallow that pill easier than the whole Benn/Eubank nonsense. both leave a very bitter aftertaste. One shall be swallowed before Christmas in a dessert whilst the other ought to be at a stadium in London on the 3rd of February…

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