Eddie Hearn expects Conor Benn to fight in the UK before April

Conor Benn could make his long-awaited ring return in the UK in the coming months, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

Britain’s Benn, 28, has been fighting in the US since two failed PED tests came to light in October 2022. According to Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, the British fighter would soon have a date to fight in front of his home crowd.

“We’ll be finding out soon when Conor Benn will be ready to fight in the UK,” Hearn said in an interview with Pro Boxing Fans. “Could be December, could be January, could be February, could be March, but it’ll be within that region, I believe.”

Benn twice tested positive for banned substance Clomifene in 2022, leading to the cancelation of his scheduled October 8 fight with Chris Eubank Jnr. Benn, citing unfair treatment, relinquished his boxing licence with the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) when he was called to a hearing. He was later provisionally suspended by United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD).

Nine months after the cancellation of Eubank Jnr’s fight, a ruling made by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) saw Benn’s provisional suspension lifted. Benn, 23-0 (14 KOs), made his US debut in a 10-round decision over Rodolfo Orozco in Orlando, Florida in September last year.

In February this year, Benn decisioned Peter Dobson in 12 rounds. In May, UKAD and the BBBoC won an appeal against the NADP’s ruling and he was returned to a state of provisional suspension. Even so, Benn and Eubank Jnr have been busy in recent weeks ramping up the interest in a belated showdown.

Earlier this month, the duo traded words in the ring after Eubank Jnr had defeated Kamil Szeremeta in seven rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“You are a kid, watch what happens when we go at it,” said Eubank Jnr.

Benn hit back: “Yeah, a kid that’s going to fuck you up. Dead boy walking, that’s what you are. “I’ll give you an arse beating in front of 60,000 people. You’ll see what happens. Arrogant prick.”

Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at [email protected].