Simon Jordan makes feelings clear as Conor Benn’s two-year nightmare ends
Simon Jordan does not consider Conor Benn to be ‘cleared’ despite UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) opting not to appeal the National Anti-Doping Panel’s (NADP) decision to dismiss charges against the boxer. It brings an end to Benn’s two-year nightmare following two failed drugs tests in July and September 2022 that led to a suspension and his British boxing licence being pulled. Benn is free to fight in Britain after UKAD opted not to appeal the NADP’s call to lift his suspensionEd Mulholland/Matchroom UKAD’s decision to hold off appealing NADP’s verdict means Benn is now cleared to fight in Britain, unless the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) contests the verdict. The NADP lifted Benn’s suspension earlier in November, although UKAD reserved the right to appeal. But with UKAD electing not to do so, it means Benn is free to resume his boxing career. However, speaking on talkSPORT’s Boxing Hour, Jordan was hesitant to say Benn was in the clear. “I don’t consider Conor to be cleared,” Jordan said. “The terminology of cleared is very different from the fact he is now able to fight. “There are two different terminologies. One is that you failed two drugs tests. There are no explanation for these drugs tests being failed.” Boxing presenter Ade Oladipo also weighed in on the matter and explained how UKAD and VADA can come to different outcomes. “[Simon] mentioned two drug enforcement agencies in UKAD and VADA who clearly don’t work together, don’t sing from the same hymn sheet,” Oladipo told talkSPORT. “There are drugs that VADA will say are OK, that UKAD will say are not OK. This is the bigger problem, there’s no world governing body overseeing all of this. Benn received a two-year suspension in April 2022 after he failed two drugs testsEd Mulholland/Matchroom “It’s a case of the WBC Clean Program, VADA saying one thing, UKAD say another thing. Which one has jurisdiction? “In this case, it’s clearly VADA that have had the bigger voice and the bigger, deeper pockets than UKAD. “UKAD are there almost floating in the wind, they can’t do anything about this situation with Conor Benn.” Jordan felt the two-year fiasco has ‘been a tragedy for everybody.’ “I think it’s made the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) look weak,” Jordan said. “I think it’s made UKAD look like amateurs. And I think it’s taken two years off Conor Benn’s career, and probably a lot of money. Although Benn is free to fight in Britain again, Simon Jordan doesn’t consider him to be completely clearedMark Robinson/Matchroom “The major winners have been the lawyers.” With Benn now eligible to fight in Britain once more, attention quickly focuses towards who will be his next opponent. Chris Eubank Jr, who Benn was slated to fight in 2022 and confronted in the ring after he stopped Kamil Szeremeta in Saudi Arabia on October 12, looked to be a promoter’s dream given the bad blood between the two. However, Benn told talkSPORT’s Gareth A Davies he will be going down a different road, at least for now. “We’re in talks with Barrios for the WBC world title and if there is anything that is going to make me pick over the Eubank fight it would be the WBC world title,” Benn said. But Benn has most certainly not forgotten about Eubank Jr, who is in advanced negotiations to fight WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. “I want to smash his head in,” Benn said Benn confronted Eubank Jr after the latter’s recent win in Saudi ArabiaMark Robinson/Matchroom “Personally, that is the reality. I know a lot of people aren’t going to like that but that is the reality. “You don’t rub salt into my wounds, never kick a man when he is down. “Or if you do kick me when I’m down you better make sure the job gets done, if not I get up again and you’re in trouble and that is how I feel.”
Simon Jordan does not consider Conor Benn to be ‘cleared’ despite UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) opting not to appeal the National Anti-Doping Panel’s (NADP) decision to dismiss charges against the boxer.
It brings an end to Benn’s two-year nightmare following two failed drugs tests in July and September 2022 that led to a suspension and his British boxing licence being pulled.
UKAD’s decision to hold off appealing NADP’s verdict means Benn is now cleared to fight in Britain, unless the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) contests the verdict.
The NADP lifted Benn’s suspension earlier in November, although UKAD reserved the right to appeal.
But with UKAD electing not to do so, it means Benn is free to resume his boxing career.
However, speaking on talkSPORT’s Boxing Hour, Jordan was hesitant to say Benn was in the clear.
“I don’t consider Conor to be cleared,” Jordan said.
“The terminology of cleared is very different from the fact he is now able to fight.
“There are two different terminologies. One is that you failed two drugs tests. There are no explanation for these drugs tests being failed.”
Boxing presenter Ade Oladipo also weighed in on the matter and explained how UKAD and VADA can come to different outcomes.
“[Simon] mentioned two drug enforcement agencies in UKAD and VADA who clearly don’t work together, don’t sing from the same hymn sheet,” Oladipo told talkSPORT.
“There are drugs that VADA will say are OK, that UKAD will say are not OK. This is the bigger problem, there’s no world governing body overseeing all of this.
“It’s a case of the WBC Clean Program, VADA saying one thing, UKAD say another thing. Which one has jurisdiction?
“In this case, it’s clearly VADA that have had the bigger voice and the bigger, deeper pockets than UKAD.
“UKAD are there almost floating in the wind, they can’t do anything about this situation with Conor Benn.”
Jordan felt the two-year fiasco has ‘been a tragedy for everybody.’
“I think it’s made the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) look weak,” Jordan said.
“I think it’s made UKAD look like amateurs. And I think it’s taken two years off Conor Benn’s career, and probably a lot of money.
“The major winners have been the lawyers.”
With Benn now eligible to fight in Britain once more, attention quickly focuses towards who will be his next opponent.
Chris Eubank Jr, who Benn was slated to fight in 2022 and confronted in the ring after he stopped Kamil Szeremeta in Saudi Arabia on October 12, looked to be a promoter’s dream given the bad blood between the two.
However, Benn told talkSPORT’s Gareth A Davies he will be going down a different road, at least for now.
“We’re in talks with Barrios for the WBC world title and if there is anything that is going to make me pick over the Eubank fight it would be the WBC world title,” Benn said.
But Benn has most certainly not forgotten about Eubank Jr, who is in advanced negotiations to fight WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara.
“I want to smash his head in,” Benn said
“Personally, that is the reality. I know a lot of people aren’t going to like that but that is the reality.
“You don’t rub salt into my wounds, never kick a man when he is down.
“Or if you do kick me when I’m down you better make sure the job gets done, if not I get up again and you’re in trouble and that is how I feel.”
