Tonight was supposed to be the night of one of the most anticipated fights in British boxing for years as Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr were scheduled to take the ring.
But boxing fans won't have a huge event to watch after the bout was called off this week amid chaos following Benn's positive drugs test. The 157lbs catchweight fight at the O2 Arena was binned after it was revealed that last month Benn tested positive for trace amounts of fertility drug clomiphene, which elevates testosterone levels in men.
There were attempts to keep the fight on despite the development but when the British Boxing Board of Control refused to sanction the bout it was rightly doomed.
Eubank Jr reacted angrily upon hearing the news, saying on Twitter that "Conor got caught using an illegal substance so the fight is off. Can't believe it. He has escaped his schooling... for now."
Here's what you need to know about the story.
Why is the Benn v Eubank Jr fight cancelled?
Fight preparations were thrown into turmoil when it was revealed on Wednesday that a number of weeks ago Benn had retuned an adverse finding for the banned substance clomiphene in a test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) responded by declaring the fight "prohibited", but co-promoters Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing have been lobbying behind the scenes to have the fight staged as scheduled. On Thursday afternoon they conceded defeat.
What is clomiphene?
A fertility drug, clomiphene has the capacity to significantly elevate testosterone levels in men. It is banned in and out of competition. Benn was 146.5lbs when he crushed Chris van Heerden in April and was due to fight Eubank at the catchweight of 157lbs.
Was postponing the right decision?
Having called off the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn said: "I hope you feel that the correct action has been taken." It was the only course of action - the question is why did it take so long? While Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing attempted to salvage the contest, boxing's battered reputation was being picked apart by the mere consideration of allowing a fighter who has tested positive to enter the ring.
What happens now?
An immediate refund has been promised to fans who have paid for tickets, pointing to the prospect of the fight being rescheduled overseas, possibly in Abu Dhabi or Germany. Hearn is determined for it to go ahead and both fighters want the pay day and the opportunity to continue their fathers' rivalry from the early 1990s.
Could Benn be in trouble?
Benn is likely to face a disciplinary hearing at the BBBofC and possibly UK Anti-Doping, but legal action could delay that in time for him to fight elsewhere. The 26-year-old is not currently suspended, a point Hearn has repeatedly made.
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