Conor Benn has hit out at those who have criticised him following his failed drugs test that saw his bout with Chris Eubank Jr cancelled last week.
Benn has remained relatively quiet since the bout was officially called off, aside from a brief statement where he insisted that he is planning to prove his innocence through standard procedures. He has declared himself a "clean athlete", and is still considering whether or not he should reschedule the highly-anticipated grudge fight.
The Benn and Eubank rivalry is one that has lasted through decades, with their fathers Nigel and Chris Sr fighting twice in the 90s for the middleweight and super-middleweight titles. The bout between the two sons of legends was being viewed as a familial trilogy, and sold out The O2 arena in minutes, with pay-per-view sales expected to be massive on DAZN as well.
"I am truly gutted that we were unable to make this fight happen on Saturday and I'm sorry to everyone who has been affected by the postponement," Benn's initial statement said. "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!"
And he has now taken to Instagram to further comment on the situation, telling his 629,000 followers "I hope the apology is as loud as the disrespect" in a story post. The welterweight contender had been planning to move up 10lb to face Eubank Jr, who has aiming to make a career-low weight of 157lb.
Benn tested positive as part of the VADA programme for a banned substance called clomifene. The drug is generally prescribed to treat infertility in women, but can boost testosterone production in men, and after the test result was made public last week the bout was called off by the British Boxing Board of Control.
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A surprising defender of Benn's was Chris Eubank Sr, who believes that he is a "pure young man", and not the type who would cheat going into a fight. "When I look at a fighter I look at the spirit in the man," he told Spencer Fearon on his YouTube channel Stamina For Sale. "Conor would have had no idea in my view of what they would suggest he would have.
"I've seen them do it, I've watched them, these are men who are going to be rooted out of this game because they're not fighters they're PE teachers, I respect them but not when they're harming fighters. In my view, when I look at Conor Benn, that's a pure young man."
Should Benn be cleared of any wrongdoing, the fight could take place as soon as December. However, he is also facing a potentially lengthy ban from the sport after undergoing due process, so his future is currently up in the air.
