Conor Benn's hopes of fighting in the UK again has been dealt a blow after the British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping won their appeal on his temporary suspension being lifted.
Benn, 27, was hit with a provisional suspension in 2022 after he provided two tests for banned substance clomifene. He has not fought on British shores since then.
He saw that ban lifted in July last year after instructions from the National Anti-Doping Panel following initial hearings. Appeals were then lodged by the BBBofC and UKAD.
The National Anti-Doping Panel have finally come to a conclusion and there is now a prospect of a fresh suspension for Benn despite initial confidence from his camp that his own appeal would be successful. Ahead of his suspension originally being lifted, Benn was without a BBBofC licence and was therefore ineligible to fight in the UK.
As it stands, the BBBofC and UKAD have yet to impose a fresh suspension but they are expected to in the coming weeks. That could potentially cause issues in Benn fighting abroad.
He is now set to be at the heart of further investigations by the anti-doping body. He could be asked to explain why the banned substance fertility drug clomifene was detected.
Benn has already underlined his intent on clearing his name by presenting all the evidence he has. This has yet to be handed over to UKAD.
Speaking to ITV ’s Good Morning Britain, he said: "I'm willing to spend every last penny I have and fight to the death to prove my innocence. My name matters more to me than anything else, fighting is fighting, but your name stands forever and so for me it's been hard, it's been challenging, but I've got a good team around me."
"There's many things in my life I've gone through, this is probably one of the worst things. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy," he added.
Despite not being ineligible to fight in the UK, Benn has taken to the ring on foreign shores. After 18 months out, he returned to fight Rodolfo Orozco in Orlando, Florida, winning by unanimous decision.
He then backed that up with another unanimous decision victory against Peter Dobson in Las Vegas earlier this year. Speaking about his ongoing case ahead of that fight, Benn said: “I will win the hearing and the case will be finished, but I will still show them the evidence because it will help other athletes."
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