BOXING fans have been left devastated as Chris Eubank Jr's highly-anticipated fight against Conor Benn has been called OFF.
This is following the news which emerged on Wednesday that Benn had returned a failed drugs test for the banned substance Clomifene.
Benn was informed of his failed test by drug-testing agency VADA on September 23, but he has since passed numerous tests taken by UK Anti-Doping, the British Boxing Board of Control's agency.
Eubank Jr's massive clash with Benn was supposed to take place on Saturday, October 8, 2022.
Promoter Eddie Hearn had claimed on Wednesday that the fight would go ahead, despite the BBBofC prohibiting the fight from taking place.
As VADA are an independent agency, Hearn's stance was that Benn's negative UKAD tests should be given more credence.
It was then reported that Hearn and his promotional company Matchroom would take look to take out a High Court injunction with the BBBofC.
Talks with the British Board rumbled on today, but it has now been confirmed that the fight is OFF.
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What has been said?
"I've not committed any violations. I've not been suspended. So as far as I'm concerned the fight's still going ahead," Benn said on Wednesday.
"I've spoken to Chris [Eubank Jr] personally, and we both want the fight to go ahead.
"We've both taken medical and legal advice, and as I said, we want the fight to happen for the fans.
"I've signed up to every voluntary anti-doping testing there is under the sun.
"Throughout my whole career I've been tested. All my UK tests have come back negative throughout my whole career, I've never had any issues before.
"Even in the lead-up to this fight, my tests have come up negative, you know, so my team will find out as to why there's been an initial adverse finding in my test.
"But as I said, as far as I'm concerned the fight is still going ahead, I'm a clean athlete and we'll get to the bottom of this.
"I just want to thank everyone for their continued support and I'll see you on Saturday."
Eubank Jr said: "It's a shame. But my promoters, his promoters, the boxing board of control, they're going to sort it out.
"I'm ready, I'm clean, I'm 60 per cent. I've been tested my entire career for the last 10 years. I've been tested more than I've ever been tested for a fight during this training camp.
"I have an app on my phone where I have to designate where I'm going to be every single day and I've been on that app for my entire career and I will be on it for the rest of my career.
"They can come and test me for blood and urine unannounced whenever they see fit and I've never failed a test. I've even been tested on holiday.
"I don't condone failed tests."
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