“Conor Benn will have the right to clear his name, people should let him do that.”
Hearn, who promotes both Benn and Whyte, was referencing a 2019 case involving the latter. Whyte, 34, was provisionally suspended by the World Boxing Council when it was revealed after his win against Oscar Rivas that the Briton had returned an adverse drug test result before the bout. The charge against Whyte was later dropped, however.
“It’s been a difficult situation for everybody,” Hearn continued. “I’ve seen the criticism of course, but also understand: This wasn’t something that was kept from anybody; it was discussed between all parties involved in the fight – from the fighters to the promoters to the commission – and we have to let the commision do their job, which ultimately they did.
“It wasn’t a case of ‘the story stopped the fight;’ the commission had made their decision before any story [a Daily Mail report last Wednesday] came out in the media. We had to go through that process, because as I said, once you find out the information regarding the testing… It was a difficult position, because people were comfortable with the scientific facts around that.
“We wanted Conor Benn to have his opportunity, as many have before, to be heard. That will now happen post-fight, and obviously the fight [didn’t take] place. But let him have that time, let him have that moment.
“He has to go out, and obviously it’s a very important time for him now, because some people have made their minds up – as they’ve done before. Let the facts come out and make your decision.”
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Benn and Eubank Jr were scheduled to square off in a main-event contest almost 29 years to the day after their fathers, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, fought one another for the second and final time.
Conor Benn has maintained his innocence since the adverse finding was revealed, insisting: “I’m a clean athlete.”
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