Conor Benn Says He Will Return to Boxing ‘Early Next Year’, Pleads with WBC To Speed Up Investigation

Apparently even Conor Benn is fed up with all the deliberation surrounding his positive drug tests.

The embattled British welterweight went on social media Thursday to plead with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency and the World Boxing Council to speed up their investigation on his case.

It was through VADA that Benn tested for the banned substance clomifene ahead of his October, 157-pound catchweight showdown with Chris Eubank Jr. The discovery was revealed by the Daily Mail three days out from the fight date and eventually, after much brouhaha, the event was cancelled. Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Eubank’s promoter Kalle Sauerland were initially both committed to moving forward with the event, despite the revelations. Subsequently, it was revealed that Benn had tested positive for the same substance earlier in the summer, something that neither Benn nor Hearn divulged in the immediate aftermath of the Daily Mail story, thus leading to the perception that they deliberately misled the public.

The WBC then dropped Benn from its welterweight rankings. Benn also relinquished his license with the British Boxing Board of Control, a move many have interpreted as an admission of guilt.

Recently, it has been reported that Benn submitted a 270-page document to the WBC, in a bid to clear his name.

“@Vada_Testing / @WBCBoxing I need to get on with my career,” Benn wrote on Twitter. “When will there be an explanation? My name deserves clearing and I can’t keep waiting while you carry out your internal investigation…”  

The response comes as Benn issued a bold statement earlier in December that doubled down on his innocence. Benn seemed to suggest in the statement that he would maintain a vow of silence until the new year.

But in addition to his query to VADA and the WBC, Benn also offered a timetable on his return. It is, to say the least, an optimistic prediction. Responding to a Twitter user’s question about when he expects to return to the ring, Benn said, “Early next year bud (praying hands emoji)”. 

Meanwhile, Eubank will take on Liam Smith in a middleweight fight on Jan. 21 at AO Arena in Manchester, England.

Benn also curiously tweeted at Gervonta Davis, another embattled fighter who was recently charged with domestic violence, writing “@Gervontaa don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house little man.” Davis had gone on Instagram to vigorously defend himself in a post that has since been deleted.