British welterweight Conor Benn has relinquished his boxing licence after a positive dope test led to a much-hyped fight with compatriot Chris Eubank Jr being called off this month.
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) said in a statement on Wednesday that it had upheld “allegations of misconduct” against Benn after he was summoned to a hearing on Oct. 21.
“On the morning of the hearing, Mr. Benn voluntarily relinquished his licence with the BBBofC,” it said.
“In accordance with its rules and regulations, the Board determined the allegations following the hearing at which Mr. Benn was legally represented.
“The allegations of misconduct against Mr. Benn were upheld.”
The bout between Benn, 26, and super-middleweight Eubank, set at a catchweight of 157 pounds, was called off on Oct. 6 two days before it was due to be held at London’s 02 Arena when the BBBofC said it could not go ahead.
Benn returned a finding for “trace amounts of a fertility drug” in a random test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), reportedly in August.
A statement posted on Benn’s social media account later on Wednesday said the boxer had decided not to renew his licence.
“Conor’s focus at this time is solely on clearing his name,” the statement read.
“The Board, however, has made it extremely difficult for Conor to focus on doing that by its conduct of an unfair and biased procedure. In such circumstances, Conor decided not to renew his licence (which had lapsed).
“Conor told the Board that if it did not accept that his licence had lapsed, then he renounces it.”
The statement added that Benn’s misconduct allegations were not linked to him failing the test carried out by VADA.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is investigating Benn’s test.
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