Chris Eubank Jr has mocked his rival Conor Benn after an old video of him talking about drug testing re-emerged on social media.
Eubank Jr and Benn were set to continue their long-standing family rivalry with a headline bout at The O2 arena in London tomorrow night, until the younger fighter tested positive for a banned substance and the fight was cancelled. Promoters attempted to save the show, but were unable to find a solution and the event was pulled yesterday afternoon.
The pair would have made millions from a prospective bout, and Eubank Jr was at the tail end of a gruesome weight cut to 157lb, a career-low after over a decade in the sport. But he was informed that the bout was cancelled, and has since taken aim at Benn on social media in a number of statements.
Most recently, he shared a video of his rival condemning Jarrell Miller for failing his drug test ahead of a doomed bout with Anthony Joshua in 2019. Miller's tests were a bit more conclusive than Benn's, but the Brit can be seen in the clip speaking to Sky Sports News about how careful his nutritionists are when it comes to what goes into his body, making for ironic viewing three years later.
"I can't believe it," Benn said. "Biggest night of your life, biggest fight of your career and you get tested positive for a banned substance, it baffles me. Now think how I'm not even at world level, and my nutritionist has a go at me for taking vitamin C tablets if they've not been tested. The team he's got around him should say 'check all your substances, you're earning a few good quid here,' why would he put that to risk?"
Eubank Jr responded to the old clip by captioning it "I mean I really just don’t have any words at this point." He had previously said in a social media post about the cancellation: "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, traveled and booked hotels, this should not of happened. He has escaped his schooling… for now."
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The fight's cancellation will likely be devastating for broadcaster DAZN and promotional outfits Matchroom Boxing and Wasserman. They were expecting upwards of half-a-million pay-per-view buys, and had deals in place with Virgin Media to help distribute pay-per-view and the BBC to air content around the bout.
Eubank Jr has claimed that he was tested even after the bout was cancelled, sharing a photo of his samples with the caption "Just got back to my hotel room to be greeted by another random drugs test… which as always I’m happy to take. Ten years and never failed one."
Benn has denied any wrongdoing, saying: "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. 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.!"
