A rescheduled blockbuster battle between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr will lastly occur if the previous’s licence is reinstated by the British Boxing Board of Management [BBBoC], believes promoter Ben Shalom.
Benn was beneath a provisional suspension after failing two voluntary drug exams forward of a scheduled battle with Eubank Jr in October 2022, with that bout cancelled after he examined optimistic for banned substance clomifene.
On Wednesday, Benn moved a step nearer to a return to boxing after the impartial Nationwide Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) lifted his suspension.
Sky Sports activities Information has requested the BBBoC for remark, with the governing physique but to verify whether or not it should reinstate Benn’s licence – required to permit him to battle in Britain once more.
UK Anti-Doping additionally has not confirmed whether or not it should provoke its proper to an attraction.
Ought to Benn in the end be given the inexperienced gentle to battle in Britain once more, Shalom is assured the long-awaited bout with Eubank Jr will in the end go forward.
“If he gets his licence then I believe that fight is on,” Shalom advised Sky Sports activities.
“He wants a British licence and it is one of many greatest fights in British boxing, if not the most important to me.
“We know the history of that fight, we know why we’re here, we know why there’s so much animosity between them. Without the licence, the fight probably won’t happen.”
On the prospect of the battle happening on dwelling soil reasonably than Saudi Arabia, Shalom added: “For me, it sells out a stadium.
“It is one of many greatest fights that you are able to do within the UK. So I believe it must be vital for the fighters to not need to do it within the UK.
“I’m sure it’s a fight that will interest Riyadh season and his Excellency, just because there just aren’t many fights that come close to the magnitude of that one.”
‘I simply suppose the whole lot goes to be an excessive amount of for him’ – what Eubank has stated about Benn battle
The British fighters unexpectedly got here face-to-face in an altercation in Saudi Arabia final month when Benn entered the ring after Eubank Jr had taken a stoppage win over Kamil Szeremeta.
Talking days later, Eubank Jr stated of Benn: “The child is stuffed with confidence however he has by no means been in there with an elite-level fighter, a technician, any individual who is aware of how one can damage him.
“It’s all well and good him saying what he can do but we are not going to know how tough, how great Conor Benn is until he is in there with somebody like me who can really test him.
“I believe what I convey to the desk is much too elite, far too superior by way of my expertise, talent, energy, pace.
“I just think everything is going to be too much for him. He will tell you different but I think it is going to be a serious wake-up call for him.”
Eubank Jr’s father, Chris, beat after which drew with Benn’s dad Nigel throughout two blockbuster fights within the Nineties.
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