Boxing

Anthony Joshua will step into the ring with last-minute opponent Helenius after Dillian Whyte was pulled from the Matchroom show last weekend following a failed drugs test.

Whyte has vowed to prove his innocence but the “adverse analytical findings” detected in his test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) almost saw the bumper card cancelled before Helenius was drafted in.

Helenius is not the oldest fighter on the card with British heavyweight Chisora set to turn 40 in December.

Chisora, who lost a contentious split decision to Helenius in 2011, will take on Australian Demsey McKean this weekend but waded into the doping debate during Wednesday’s press conference.

“Boxing is already a hard, hard sport without people taking drugs,” Chisora stated.

“I think they should put a new rule in now. If you get caught, this is for the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), it’s going to have to be a 10-year ban straight away.”

Meanwhile, Helenius insisted a laidback approach is taken in certain countries to doping in the sport.

Whyte previously served a two-year doping ban in 2012 and several other high-profile boxers in Tyson Fury, Jarrell Miller, Alexander Povetkin and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvaraz have served suspensions for failed tests.

British duo Amir Khan and Conor Benn have also been given doping bans during the past year, although Benn’s suspension was lifted last month, subject to an appeal from UK Anti-Doping.

Helenius added: “Of course it’s a problem because I don’t think everybody is on the same level. Some have privileges that others don’t have.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Robert Helenius (Official) (@heleniusrobert)

“It’s a very difficult topic and I think anti-doping should be the same in every country. For example in your country, when Dillian gets caught, everybody just thinks ‘oh it’s boxing’ and nobody cares.

“In Finland, if I would be caught, I would be lynched for my whole life. Two-year minimum (ban), nothing. I would never get a licence again.

“I know (of) Povetkin, Fury, Canelo. If I would do that, I would never be able to box in Finland anymore.”

After Helenius stepped in to face Joshua at the last minute, he has been warned the former two-time world heavyweight champion is getting better and better.

That’s according to Joshua’s highly-respected trainer Derrick James, who saw his new boxer begin their partnership with a laboured display in a unanimous points decision victory over Jermaine Franklin in April.

James said: “He has bought into the process and is constantly getting better and better and better. Helenius is now here and it is time for us to implement everything we’ve been working.

“Finding it out (about Whyte), you realise you have to move forward.

“It was then all about Robert Helenius, who is a pretty good fighter but you’ll see everything that AJ has been working on throughout camp implemented into this fight.

“The only thing different was the fact we have to change the trajectory of the punching. From shorter and lower, so now it is a little higher because I think Helenius is 6ft 9in or 6ft 8in, but it is good.

“It will be good and will show his ability to transition from fighting one guy to a week later fighting another guy.”

Joshua has booked a rematch against Usyk for August 20 in Jeddah, having suffered only the second defeat of his professional career against the Ukrainian last year.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Joshua spoke of the benefits of having the first fight to look back on but described facing a southpaw like Usyk as "a nightmare".

And "every fight is different", the British heavyweight added; Usyk agreed, vowing: "I do understand that [Joshua] is going to be different – so will I."

This was perhaps unlike many boxing media briefings, with a relative lack of ego on show as Joshua focused on delivering a result while Usyk dismissed the significance of becoming "the greatest".

"I'm definitely desperate to get my hands on [the titles]," Joshua said, but he added: "Less talk, more action. Let me get in there and do my job.

"I'm not a comedian, I'm not someone who writes speeches. I'm definitely hungry, definitely desperate, but at the end of the day, how I perform will speak volumes to the masses."

In the opposite corner, Usyk – wearing a t-shirt in the colours of the Ukraine flag, bearing the message, "colours of freedom" – is not interested in appealing to the masses.

"I'm not fighting for money or recognition," he said. "I don't need this. I don't need to become the greatest.

"I'm just doing my job now and will continue doing it as long as my heart is beating. The only thing I'm on my way to is to save my soul. Everything else is just life."

Usyk outclassed Joshua at a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday to take the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles.

Joshua had no answer to the unbeaten Ukrainian, who secured a masterful unanimous decision victory and looked like stopping the Briton in the final round.

A rematch with the 19-0 Usyk could be on the cards for Joshua rather than a unification bout with Fury after he suffered the second defeat of his professional career on home soil.

The 31-year-old declared that he would be eager to fight his compatriot Fury, who faces a third clash with Deontay Wilder on October 9, regardless of whether he has any belts to put on the line.

"The road to undisputed and all that stuff, it's good," said Joshua, who suffered a badly swollen right eye in his loss in London.

"As I said, I'll fight Tyson Fury, Wilder, without the belts. The belts are fun. It's great, it's legacy. But with or without the belts, I'll fight whoever.

"The road to undisputed is a nice title to have and a nice title to chase.

"But would you still watch it, without the belts? That's the main thing – is you've got two competitive fighters in the ring from UK soil, that just want to go toe-to-toe.!

Asked if he would want a rematch with Usyk, Joshua said: "100 per cent. 110 per cent.

"I'm ready to get back to training. Because of the 12 rounds, my lungs and everything, it was a good 12-rounder, so I'll be in a good place when I get back into training to pick up where we left off."

Whyte is scheduled to receive a mandatory shot at Fury's world title by February 2021 at the latest.

But he must first wait until the champion has taken on American Deontay Wilder for a third time.

There is also a strong push for Fury to face Anthony Joshua in a unification contest after that, but Whyte is tired of being the odd man out.

Whyte, whose only career defeat came against Joshua in 2015, feels Fury would have fought him already if he did not know he would be in for a testing outing.

"He just needs to stop talking rubbish and let's have a go," Whyte, who is preparing to fight Alexander Povetkin next, said about Fury to Sky Sports. 

"It will be a major fight. Let's have it out.

"He's the one who came out and said he beat me up in the gym and stuff like that. I can tell you now, that didn't happen. I don't like telling sparring stories, but people in the game know.

"They know about me. Me and Tyson Fury sparred and I bashed him about and dropped him on multiple occasions. Simple as that.

"If I was such an easy fight, why is he not in any rush to fight me? 

"He said before beating Wilder, when I beat Wilder, I'm going to give Dillian Whyte his title shot. He just talks rubbish, I'm just sick and tired of it. This is war, let's go."

Undefeated Fury has recently ended talk about retiring in the near future and is now targeting a long title reign.

Whyte's promoter Eddie Hearn believes Fury should take on the challenge and urged the WBC to ensure it happens.

"We've got to push that with the WBC," Hearn said. "I would love to see Fury step up and fight Whyte, but I understand he has contractual obligations with Wilder. 

"Dillian is right in the mix and we will fight his corner. We've been promised by the WBC and we expect them to stand by it. We've done all we can in that respect.

"He stayed patient and has been given a time of February 2021. It is public, so they will look very silly if it doesn't happen.

"If, for some reason, Wilder is not available to fight Fury, then Whyte must get that fight now. 

"Why not? It's an unbelievable fight, two Brits fighting for the WBC title." 

IBF, WBA and WBO champion Joshua would be waiting in the wings, and Hearn added: "Then [there would be] a cast-iron certainty of two Brits fighting for the undisputed championship in 2021."

Arum, the Fury's US promoter, says the mandatory defence his fighter is due to make against Whyte by February 2021 should be "eliminated" or alternatively postponed for one year. 

He asked the WBC to make changes because the coronavirus pandemic has left boxers unable to compete for three months, with upcoming fights needing to take place behind closed doors.

Arum claimed a bout between Whyte and Fury in the US would generate little interest, representing a "meaningless" fight, adding he was "sick and tired" of having to put his marquee clients in matches that "mean nothing".

But WBC interim champion Whyte was having none of it, claiming this is the latest excuse from the Fury camp to avoid giving him a title shot he feels he has earned.

"Arum's talking rubbish," Whyte said to Sky Sports. "If he represented me, he'd be screaming that this is the biggest travesty in the history of boxing.

"Nearly 1,000 days as number one without being given a shot, whereas Tyson Fury barely scraped by the WBC number 31 ranked Otto Wallin in front of only 3,500 people.

"Then [he was] gifted my mandatory position without fighting an eliminator, never mind a final eliminator."

Fury is currently preparing for a third bout against former world champion Deontay Wilder.

Whyte added: "Fury won the belt off that pathetic hype job Deontay Wilder as his legs were too weak to carry it any longer after running away from me for years.

"It now looks like the two of them are in a relay. The WBC had originally agreed that the winner of Wilder-Fury II had to fight me by May 2020.

"Now Wilder's injured and Arum's trying to delay my shot further. It's all wrong and has nothing to do with COVID-19.

"If he was fit to fight, they could fight in July. Who cares if they don't have an audience? Big deal. Both of them have fought most of their careers with hardly any audience.

"The WBC should order Fury to fight me next but I don't think 'The Gypsy Coward' will. The whole thing's a joke and I'm not putting up with it anymore."

Whyte is scheduled to face Russian Alexander Povetkin in 2020, while there have also been talks over a contest against UFC star Francis Ngannou.

The Briton feels he has little left to prove, adding: "I have been ranked number one since 2017 and have fought more top-15 contenders than Wilder and Fury combined. 

"I am the Ring Magazine number two ranked heavyweight in the world, higher than Wilder.

"No one is mentioning me as they are scared of fighting me. One hundred per cent I beat Fury. He knows it and that's why he doesn't want to face me. We have history. He has run in the past and he's running scared now."

The former WBC interim heavyweight champion, fighting for the first time since clearing his name of doping offences, proved too strong for his Romanian-born opponent in Castlebar, County Mayo.

Hammer failed to get up from his stool for the fourth round, forcing the referee to stop the bout and hand Whyte his 30th professional victory.

The 35-year-old Briton had not fought since his victory over Jermaine Franklin at Wembley in November 2022.

He had been lined up to face Anthony Joshua last August but the proposed match-up never happened after Whyte tested positive for a banned substance.

Whyte protested his innocence and was cleared to resume his career after it was accepted he had consumed a contaminated supplement.

Whyte has been stood at the front of the queue for a considerable time now, waiting patiently for his opportunity at the reigning champion, which was Deontay Wilder for so long. 

However, the American's reign was emphatically ended by Tyson Fury earlier this year and, with that duo set to meet again next, Whyte is left hanging around a little longer. 

Still, now at least the situation is clear: win on Saturday and it will be a title chance next, or alternatively elevation in his status with the WBC, should the champion opt to vacate rather than face his mandatory challenger. 

Povetkin, though, is a tough hurdle to clear. Whyte could have taken a softer option, considering what is at stake for him. The Russian has only lost twice in a long professional career, plus won gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Their intriguing meeting tops the bill in the fourth and final 'Fight Camp' series staged by promoters Matchroom, a unique concept staged within the company's grounds in Essex to combat the issues around putting on a live sporting event amid a global health pandemic. 

Having enjoyed a lengthy training camp in Portugal to prepare for a must-win outing, Whyte has been staying on site in a motor home to avoid running into Povetkin too often on the premises in the build-up.

Thankfully for the audience watching on, there will be nothing to keep the pair apart once the bell sounds.

RECENT HISTORY

Whyte has admitted this week that external issues affected him in 2019, when he had two fights. After the first of them, a points win over Oscar Rivas in July, he was initially charged with testing positive for a banned substance by UK Anti-Doping, though was later cleared and reinstated to his ranking with the WBC.

In December, Whyte was back fighting in the ring against Mariusz Wach, though a lack of preparation time led to a laboured display in a 10-rounder that went the distance in Diriyah. It was the last outing with long-time coach Mark Tibbs, too - Xavier Miller will now be working the corner, aided by late addition Dave Coldwell. 

Povetkin was on the same Saudi Arabia card as Whyte, involved in a see-saw battle with Michael Hunter that ended up as a split-decision draw. The 40-year-old's other outing last year was a points triumph over Hughie Fury in what was his return to action after being stopped by Anthony Joshua 11 months earlier.

For comparison, Povetkin stopped Wach in the 12th round when they met in 2015, while his other loss in the paid ranks came against Wladimir Klitschko in 2013. Dropped no less than four times and also deducted a point in the penultimate round, he managed to go the distance but was comprehensively outclassed by the Ukrainian.

TALE OF THE TAPE

DILLIAN WHYTE 

Age: 32
Height: 6ft 4ins (193cm)
Weight: 18st 6oz (252 pounds)
Reach: 78ins 
Professional record: 27-1 (18 KOs)
Major career titles: WBC heavyweight (interim)

ALEXANDER POVETKIN

Age: 40
Height: 6ft 2ins (188cm)
Weight: 16st 5lbs (224 pounds)
Reach: 75ins 
Professional record: 35-2-1 (24 KOs)
Major career titles: WBA heavyweight

THE UNDERCARD

While the big men are set to take centre stage, the rematch between Katie Taylor and Delfine Persoon has the potential to steal the show. 

Taylor won the first meeting by a majority decision in New York to retain her four world titles. The two lightweights switch from the famous Madison Square Garden to Eddie Hearn's back yard, yet a lack of a crowd should not take away anything from the occasion. Persoon believes she won just over a year ago, so the Belgian police offer will be out to deliver her own version of justice.

As for the rest, heavyweight prospect Alen Babic and Shawndell Winters have been verbally sparring in the build-up to their clash, while Jack Cullen takes on fellow super-middleweight Zak Chelli and Luther Clay meets Chris Kongo at welter.

WHAT THE FIGHTERS HAVE TO SAY...

Whyte on Tyson Fury: "One minute he says he will fight me, the next minute he says he won't. Tyson talks a lot of rubbish - he just says whatever he thinks."

Whyte on Povetkin: "He's probably the most technical fighter I've fought. He's fought a lot of guys as an amateur and is an Olympic gold medallist – he's done it the right way."

Taylor on Persoon: "I'm ready for anything Delfine throws at me. As long as I'm strong, that's all that matters to me."

Persoon to BBC Sport: "I have money from my job so there's no problem. The honour is important for me rather than the money. If you said I had to box for free and win, I'd say no problem."

An eagerly-anticipated rematch between the British heavyweights was called off by Matchroom after the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association informed the promoters and boxing authorities about the test result.

It is understood Joshua could still fight at London’s O2 Arena as Matchroom seek a late replacement opponent for the former two-time world heavyweight champion but Whyte faces a battle to clear his name.

He wrote on his social media channels: “I am shocked and devastated to learn of a report by VADA of adverse findings relating to me.

“I only learned of it this morning and am still reacting to it. I have also just seen that the fight is being cancelled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.

“I can confirm without a shadow of doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life.

“I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or a trial by media.”

Whyte served a two-year drugs ban from 2012 to 2014 and was cleared of a doping violation in 2019 after UK Anti-Doping concluded the levels in his sample were “very low” and he was ultimately not to blame.

The Londoner added: “I insisted on 24/7 VADA testing for this fight, as I have done voluntarily and at my own expense for all of my fights for many, many years.

“This is not the first time that I have been reported as having an adverse finding for a substance which I have not taken, and as I did last time I will again prove that I am completely innocent.

“In the meantime all I can do is express my extreme disappointment to boxing fans, who will miss out on what was sure to be a great event.”

Whyte suffered his first professional defeat in December 2015 after being stopped by Joshua, who avenged a loss to his British rival in their amateur days.

While Joshua went on to win a world title in his next bout, Whyte rebuilt with 11 straight victories to become the WBC’s mandatory challenger before a savage knockout defeat to Alexander Povetkin in 2020.

He gained revenge in the immediate rematch but his only world title tilt to date ended in disappointing fashion when he was stopped by WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in the sixth round in April 2022.

He rebounded with an unconvincing majority points win over Jermaine Franklin last November in his most recent bout, while Joshua received criticism for his performance against the American in April.

That set the British pair on a collision course once again, and another win over Whyte would have put Joshua on the road to a showdown against ex-WBC champion Deontay Wilder in December in Saudi Arabia.

However, Matchroom said in a statement on Saturday morning: “Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed Matchroom, the Association of Boxing Commissions and the British Boxing Board of Control that Dillian Whyte had returned adverse analytical findings as part of a random anti-doping protocol.

“In light of this news, the fight will be cancelled and a full investigation will be conducted.”

But the son of iconic two-time Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight champion Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is determined to soar even higher and out of the shadow of his famous father.

Unlike his father, who turned pro at age 19, Ruddock Jr is off to a late start, but he remains undeterred by criticisms that may come about his age, and is instead focused on the prospects of what can be achieved, provided he gets the proper backing.

“I am trying to walk my own path, I am trying to do my own thing and create my own identity. Many times people hear the name they label me as my dad, but I want to create my own history and not live in his shadow," Ruddock Jr declared.

“My career just started because I didn’t really get support like that, so it was kind of rough to get going because everybody was busy doing their own thing and then the family finally came together to make it happen. So it is just about moving forward from here to find my own success,” he told SportsMax.TV.

Though admitting that he doesn’t pack the power of his father, who is ranked on The Ring magazine's "100 Greatest Punchers of All-Time" list, Ruddock Jr believes he possesses more style and flair which he paraded during his debut professional bout against Jazeer Heron at the ‘Rumble in the Sun’ boxing showcase at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday night.

With that bout ending in a draw, Ruddock Jr knows he has much more work to do if he intends to get anywhere close to, or even surpass his father’s record of 47 professional fights, including 40 wins, six losses and one draw, achieved in a dazzling 20-year career.

Even “Razor” Ruddock’s amateur run was lined with historic wins over Lennox Lewis, and show-stopping victories over Ken Lakustra, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Greg Page and Mike Dokes.

For Ruddock Jr, his amateur record was 12 fights, including seven wins and five losses, and he also won the Golden Glove Novice title in Florida.

“I honestly don’t believe I have the same power as him (my dad) but I believe I have a better boxing style. If I get some full training camps to put in some serious work, I feel like I can put on amazing shows, I feel like I can put on some of the best fights because I am kind of an aggressive fighter and I really do push for action,” Ruddock Jr shared.

“I feel like I just need to calm down a little bit and just let things come to me. It is every boxer’s dream to win a title, but we all have to start small. There are a lot of things that I want to do, but it takes time and a lot of hard work," he acknowledged.

Reflecting on his first professional bout, the South Carolina-based boxer rued the fact that his first time in Jamaica and, by extension first fight, was ruled a stalemate, as he believes he was more efficient in his execution.

“It feels good to have my first professional fight in Jamaica but I feel it was just a biased decision because of my last name and my relationship with my father, I believe is why they didn’t want to give it (the win) to me. I kind of did come in a little boasy but that’s just my character and showmanship I believe is what sells tickets,” Ruddock Jr reasoned.

“I felt like I beat him to the jab, I landed more effective right hand punches, so just the mere fact that I was the ring general and I got some body shots in which he didn’t, meant I won the fight. But hopefully I can come back another time for a rematch,” he noted.

Finally, Ruddock Jr, who now fights in the welterweight category, pointed out that his ambition is to drop down to the lightweight division and work his way up.

“I would rather fight the lightweight because I feel like I can win a belt there and then move up and when another belt at the welterweight. That would look good on my resume being a champion in two weight division and that’s my dream,” the approachable boxer stated.

“But it is going to take a lot of hard work, I’ve taken the lessons from this experience and so I’ll just go back home, get my stuff together and see where we go from here,” Ruddock Jr ended.

Fury and Usyk signed contracts last month for the eagerly-anticipated clash, which will take place in Riyadh and be the first undisputed contest in the blue riband division since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield at Madison Square Garden in 1999 when all the belts were on the line.

At the time of the September 29 announcement from Queensberry and K2 Promotions no date for the bout was revealed, but Fury has now seemingly confirmed it will take place two days before Christmas.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Usyk. The Cat. Oleksandr (@usykaa)

Fury is currently in Riyadh preparing to face UFC fighter Francis Ngannou on Saturday, although has no concerns over the eight-week gap between this weekend’s tune-up bout and the proposed date to take on Usyk.

He told Sky Sports: “We’ve signed the contracts. December 23, that’s out there isn’t it? It’s only eight weeks away from Saturday. Why not?

“I’ve not even had a fight this year so to get two in before the end of the year would be fantastic.

“Double payday. There’ll be a nice big turkey in the Fury household this Christmas!

“If it happens December 23, I’ll be playing that song, ‘Driving Home For Christmas’.

“I won’t land back in the UK until Christmas Eve, late Christmas Eve and if we get a delay I’ll be spending Christmas with the reindeers in the airport!”

Fury will contest the 35th bout of his career this weekend, but his WBC title will not be on the line against Ngannou for the 10-round fight.

Oleksandr Usyk vacated the IBF heavyweight championship just five weeks after becoming the undisputed world heavyweight champion with his win over Tyson Fury, confirming his decision on X on Tuesday.

The all-British showdown was confirmed the following day as the duo prepare to battle at Wembley on September 21.

Joshua will bid to become a three-time world champion, while Dubois will appear in his first title fight after becoming the mandatory challenger for the IBF crown with his win over Filip Hrgovic this month.

The meeting will be Joshua's first at Wembley in three years, and Dubois hopes to bring his homecoming crashing down.

"That's just where I'm aiming for, to fight the best and be the best," Dubois said at Wednesday's press conference. 

"AJ's been the king for a long time and on the night, I need to become a king slayer and that's my goal, that's the mission at hand.

"I'm learning more about myself as a fighter, as a person, coming out of the darkness and into the light, improving all round as a fighter and as an athlete. I'm up for this and ready to go."

Joshua has repeatedly been suggested as a potential opponent for Usyk or Fury, though says he will turn his attention solely on the upcoming Dubois bout.

"Congratulations to Daniel for winning his last fight," a measured Joshua said at the same press conference. 

"I've been having Dubois on my mind for a while and he'll be on my mind for the next 12 weeks until I get my hand raised.

"The goal is just getting through a successful training camp, performing on the night and the shiny stuff comes at a later date."

Shavers amassed a 74-14-1 record between 1969 and 1995, and he was 54-5-1 by 1977 when he earned a world heavyweight title fight against Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden.

Shavers lost a 15-round decision to Ali, who famously declared after the fight "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk in Africa".

Fellow heavyweights often spoke of Shavers' power, with George Foreman once telling David Letterman during a late-night talk show conversation about the hardest punchers he ever faced "I never fought Earnie Shavers, thank goodness".

Of his 74 career wins, 68 came by knockout, including 23 in the first round.

In the footage, the WBO world super-middleweight champion demonstrates boxing techniques on a punching bag and can be seen explaining what to do if "your old woman is giving you mouth" and how to "hit her on the chin".

Saunders later issued an apology on Twitter and insisted he does not condone domestic violence after receiving a backlash online.

Hearn, Saunders' promoter, labelled the video as "unacceptable".

"I haven't spoken to him. I spoke to his management team last night. I was appalled really," Hearn told talkSPORT.

"It was so idiotic, it was so frustrating because I know Billy well. He's a really good kid, with a really good heart. 

"He does a lot for the community, he does a lot for charity, but every now and again he does the most stupid things. 

"The world has changed and realised about all kinds of different things, about how you need to treat people.

"It's always with Billy. He spent the weekend down at the NHS, delivering food packages, and meeting people. It's one step forward, four steps back with Billy Joe Saunders and it is frustrating.

"He's got this mentality where it's me against the world. Sometimes you can have a conversation with him and say, 'Bill, what are you doing?' And sometimes that can make it worse. I leave him alone now and when I talk to him, I will be telling him, 'You're a prat, what are you doing?'.

"I can only tell you he does have a good heart, he didn't mean anything in the video, but you just can't do it, especially when you're in his position. It's unacceptable for Joe Bloggs down the street to do it. It's much more unacceptable for a world champion boxer to be doing it.

"Thinking you're having a laugh, or not having a laugh, young people are watching that video. People who are in abusive relationships are watching that video. You cannot do it, it's unacceptable."

Saunders has won all of his 29 professional fights and Hearn said last month the 30-year-old was awaiting a decision as to whether he or fellow Briton Callum Smith would fight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez next, although a third bout between the Mexican great and his rival Gennadiy Golovkin has since reportedly moved closer to being finalised.

Benn, who has not fought since April 2022 when he knocked out Chris van Heerden, has been cleared to fight Mexico’s Rodolfo Orozco this weekend.

The 26-year-old saw his proposed bout with Eubank Jr last October fall through following two positive tests for the banned drug clomifene, which resulted in him being hit with a provisional suspension.

Benn promised to prove his innocence and, while he was formally charged by UK Anti-Doping in April, it was announced in July he had been cleared by an independent National Anti-Doping Panel.

Hearn, in Florida for Saturday’s bout against Orozco at Caribe Royale, said: “We want the Eubank fight. It’s the biggest fight in British boxing, outside AJ v Fury and right up there with it.

“We want to fight in the UK. Conor won his case. He was cleared, his suspension was lifted and I keep hearing this ‘he was not cleared’.

“If he wasn’t cleared he wouldn’t be allowed to fight on Saturday.

“The Association of Boxing Commissions would not lift their suspension of Benn until it was confirmed to them by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) that he was no longer suspended and therefore he was cleared to fight.

“So our plan, ideally, is to fight Chris Eubank Jr in the UK in December. We’ve already had offers from a number of international venues to stage that fight, but I would like to try and make that fight in the UK.”

UKAD and the BBBofC appealed against the decision to lift Benn’s provisional suspension last month, which prevented the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn being able to resume his boxing career in his home country.

Benn and promotion company Matchroom have now decided to try and get his career back on track with a bout in the United States.

Mexican veteran Orozco has been drafted in as a last-minute opponent for Benn, whose fight will be the co-main event of a show also involving super-lightweights Richardson Hitchins and Jose Zepeda.

Hearn said: “We were made aware a few weeks ago or a month ago that there would be an appeal – we’ve heard nothing more, no dates for that appeal.

“We’re not sure if that will take place or when it will take place, but this man’s free to go back to work and that’s what we’ve decided to do.”

Benn said: “I am undefeated in the ring, and in spirit. A return on Saturday is a step closer to redemption.

“After that, I’m putting the 147-160 divisions on notice. You are looking at a determined man with a deep desire to beat them all.”

Even though Greenwich-born Benn (21-0, 14KOs) will fight for the first time in 17 months on Saturday, his fight to clear his name is not over yet.

Benn relinquished his BBBC licence after his bout against Eubank was scrapped and criticised the governing body’s handling of his case.

Benn’s positive tests were conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for the WBC, which cleared the boxer of any wrongdoing in February, pointing to an “elevated consumption of eggs” for the findings.

Londoner Benn himself insisted eggs were never blamed in a 270-page report he sent the WBC, but he has repeatedly stressed his innocence, having faced a two-year ban.

Hearn Sr founded Matchroom in 1982, with the company best known for its involvement in elite boxing, darts and snooker.

Eddie, who was already the head of Matchroom Boxing, will take on a host of new roles in the group, including becoming the chairman of the boxing division and of the PDC.

Steve Dawson will replace Barry as the chairman of World Snooker following the 2021 World Snooker Championship.

Hearn Sr, who will become president of the group in an advisory role, said: "It has been a huge honour to have worked with some of the greatest sports people on the planet across the last 40 years and enjoyed so many wonderful experiences across our spectrum of events in that time."

His son added: "We have seen astounding growth in the last 10 years but we have only just begun.

"I look forward to continuously evolving and continuing the global growth of this astonishing family business."

Eddie Hearn is in the process of negotiating a heavyweight unification bout between British rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Benn follows in the footsteps of father Nigel by headlining in Las Vegas on Saturday but the two failed tests he returned for a banned drug in October 2022 continue to have consequences for his career.

While Benn, who has always insisted he is innocent of wrongdoing, had a provisional suspension lifted last July, UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control launched an appeal against the decision.

Hearn expects that to take place this month and hopes a favourable outcome can see Benn granted a licence to fight in the UK again, amid a lull in major fights in British boxing in the last 12 months.

“When you talk about the biggest names in British boxing, you’ve got Fury and AJ but outside of those two, Conor’s right there,” Hearn told the PA news agency.

“With a lot of the big fights and big names moving internationally at the moment, we really need Conor Benn back in the UK. We want this appeal done and dusted to start letting him fill up arenas in the UK.

“He’s young enough to fly that flag for the next couple of years and we need that, British boxing needs it. The toughest thing is not having a plan, a vision or a schedule in terms of what’s going to happen.

“We’re coming to the end of that whole saga now, I’m sure there’s still a couple of bumps in the road but it just feels like now we’re getting some momentum.”

Benn tested positive for female fertility drug clomifene ahead of a bout against Chris Eubank Jr that was ultimately scrapped and his career has been in limbo for much of the last 18 months.

“I think there is a huge amount of frustration in him,” Hearn said. “He still gets accusations and criticism. It’s an incredible amount of someone’s life that he’s had to go through those adversities.”

Even if Benn cannot fight on home soil yet, Hearn is catering to that audience this weekend as the main event against Peter Dobson at the Cosmopolitan will start around 10:30pm in the UK – 2:30pm local time.

This is Benn’s second fight under US jurisdiction, having made a low-key return by outpointing Rodolfo Orozco last September to extend his unbeaten professional record to 22 wins from as many fights.

Hearn is optimistic of arranging a big fight against Eubank Jr, Kell Brook or Liam Smith in late April or early May but recognises Dobson (16-0, 9KOs) could leave those best-laid plans in tatters.

“We took this fight to stay active but he’s calling out all the big names, we want all the big names and we have to deliver,” Hearn said.

“It’s much easier to deliver those fights in the UK because you know you’re going to fill stadiums and arenas. All of it is irrelevant without victory on Saturday, though.”

Nigel Benn fought twice in Sin City, winning both by first-round stoppage, with victory in 1990 over Iran Barkley especially impressive as the American went on to claim world titles in two weight classes.

“There are so many similarities between Conor and Nigel, particularly in the way they fight – it’s identical,” Hearn added. “I see it so clearly, even when I’m talking to him, he is his father’s son.

“That same violence and ruthless streak that Nigel brought to the ring, Conor does as well. You’ll see that in bundles on Saturday.”

Benn’s career was thrown into turmoil last October after he twice tested positive for the banned drug clomifene in the lead-up to a bout against Chris Eubank Jr that was subsequently shelved in fight week.

While he has repeatedly stressed his innocence, Benn faced a potential two-year ban after being formally charged by UK Anti-Doping in April, but the Briton claimed last week he has now been cleared.

UKAD confirmed the provisional suspension had been lifted but included the clause that there was a 21-day window in which it could appeal the decision made by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel.

Hearn admitted the situation has taken a toll on Benn, who according to the Matchroom Boxing chief is ready to take his frustrations out on his next opponent having not fought since April last year.

Hearn said: “I would like him to box in September. He wants to go straight into a big fight but he’s been out the ring for 16 months. (Benn fighting in) September and December will be great but we’ll see.

“He’s ready to rip someone’s head off. When you talk about how low he’s been, there’s some people who are like ‘he deserves it, who cares?’ But what he’s been through would break most men.”

Hearn wants Benn to fight again under the auspices of the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), having relinquished his licence and criticised the governing body’s handling of the matter.

Such a manoeuvre would be halted if the BBBofC decides to appeal the outcome of UKAD’s ruling on Benn, which the body that licenses fighters in Britain said on Monday it was “considering”.

Hearn said: “He has an international licence to box but I would like him to box in the UK. If they (BBBofC) appealed, that would slow down the process. A lot of people will be trying to convince them to (appeal).

“I don’t expect them to, but if they do, we’re here and ready – we’ve done it every day for a year. What’s another month or so? Hopefully we can all move forward.

“Everything that has been asked for Conor Benn, he’s done. I just hope that’s respected. At what point do you say ‘it’s been a year and a half since he’s boxed, how are we going to move forward?’.”

Benn’s positive tests were carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for the WBC, which cleared the boxer of any wrongdoing in February, pointing to an “elevated consumption of eggs” for the findings.

Hearn said: “You don’t just get cleared, especially not twice as well. One is through the people that controlled the test which is the WBC and VADA – cleared of any wrongdoing which were their words.

“A lot of people were unhappy that he didn’t go through the UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control route. He did that and UKAD has cleared his suspension and cleared him to box.”

Hearn was speaking to promote Leigh Wood defending his WBA featherweight title against British rival Josh Warrington at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena Sheffield on October 7.

Warrington lost his IBF title in a majority points loss to Luis Alberto Lopez last December in his second defeat in his last four contests – but Hearn is convinced the Leeds fighter remains a danger.

Hearn added: “He looks fresh, he’s motivated and he’s as fit as a fiddle. I’m not saying he’s a favourite in the fight but I don’t think there’s anything in it. It’s a real 50-50 fight.”

The unheralded Yildirim is the WBC's mandatory challenger despite dropping a technical decision to Anthony Dirrell in his last bout two years ago. 

On his previous venture up to world level in 2017, the 29-year-old was demolished inside three rounds by Chris Eubank Jr. 

Nevertheless, becoming the undisputed champion at 168lbs is the dream for Canelo and, if WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders and IBF ruler Caleb Plant are to be brought to heel by the end of 2021, Yildirim must first be dispatched. 

Remarkably, Canelo would be the first fighter from Mexico to hold all four major belts in a division and this quest for legacy is one he shares with Eddy Reynoso, the trainer who has been by his side throughout a sparkling career. 

The relative lack of jeopardy in the fight means this week in Miami has served as something of a victory lap for Reynoso, the quiet sideman who might already have settled the argument for trainer of the year at this early stage. 

Reynoso, 44, has built a stable that is the envy of many in the sport – a story that can be traced back to the moment a youngster walked into his gym in Guadalajara and changed both their lives.

Fighting families ruling the world

Reynoso enjoyed a brief amateur career but decided against mixing it in the pros, having already been bitten by the training bug. 

He began working alongside his father Chepo when an alliance with another fighting family would prove life-changing. 

A young Canelo came down to the gym with one of his boxing brothers, Rigoberto. He and Reynoso instantly hit it off. 

"We are like family. Working with Eddy and Chepo has been a great experience," the boxer told Ring Magazine in 2016. "They've taught me discipline, hard work, respect and loyalty." 

That loyalty came through its defining test in the aftermath of Canelo finding himself on the receiving end of a Floyd Mayweather masterclass in 2013. 

The temptation might have been to ditch his little-known cornerman after being outclassed by Mayweather and seek out one of the sport's bigger names. For Canelo it was not even a consideration. 

In 13 fights since that sole career defeat, the 30-year-old has won titles at light-middleweight, middleweight, super-middleweight and light-heavyweight, counting Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Daniel Jacobs and Callum Smith among his victims. 

There was also the small matter of a pair of blockbusters against middleweight king Gennadiy Golovkin. The first of two instant classics was called a draw, with Canelo edging the second on the scorecards. 

A formidable blend of blistering body shots, slick combinations, miserly defence and impeccable head movement and counter-punching placed Canelo at the top of the boxing world, also making Reynoso a man in demand. 

Grooming Garcia for greatness

Despite racing to a record of 16-0 at only 20 years of age, Ryan Garcia decided he needed a change after an unconvincing win over Carlos Morales. 

Already identified as a future star of the sport by promoter Oscar de la Hoya and a huge hit with the Instagram crowd, Garcia needed a little substance to go with the obvious style. 

"I've had a few meetings with Ryan, and he comes off as very disciplined, very happy and dedicated," said Reynoso after his appointment to head up Team Garcia. 

"But he's a fighter who needs to work on how to go forward, how to go backward, his defence and counterpunching. He has some boxing bad habits we need to take away." 

Not much to go at then? 

Four victories followed in quick time, with Garcia's dynamite left hook – already something of a Reynoso stable trademark – flattening each of Romero Duno and Francisco Fonseca within a round. 

That set up an intriguing crossroads showdown with London 2012 gold medal winner and two-time world title challenger Luke Campbell on January 2. 

When the Briton caught Garcia flush on the jaw and decked him in round two, sceptics were ready to unload on a hype job and an Instagram fighter. 

Such verdicts had to be torn up, however, as the youngster raged against adversity to stop Campbell with a brutal body shot in the seventh.

It was a highlight reel knockout of technical precision as Garcia feinted his favourite shot upstairs before turning the left hook into Campbell's ribs. It was a stoppage that an elated Canelo was seen mimicking during dressing room celebrations afterwards. 

Operating in the white-hot lightweight division, 'King Ry' is riding the crest of a wave, with Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and maybe even Teofimo Lopez in his sights.

Adding value to Valdez

Six months prior to Garcia's move, undefeated featherweight champion Oscar Valdez claimed a March 2018 victory that was also not altogether satisfactory, although in far more painful circumstances. 

A brutal battle with Scott Quigg, who failed to make weight, saw Valdez keep his WBO belt at the cost of a badly broken jaw. For his trouble, former super-bantamweight champ Quigg was bloodied by eye damage and a broken nose. 

There are only so many wars a fighter can realistically subject themselves to over the course of a career and, once on the mend, Valdez also decided to turn to Reynoso. 

A couple of low-key defences followed before he vacated the WBO belt and faced up to claims he was ducking rising star Shakur Stevenson. 

Valdez, 30, had seen his star dwindle to such an extent that he was an almost a 4-1 betting underdog last weekend when he faced WBC champion and compatriot Miguel Berchelt in Las Vegas. 

Oscar had a different screenplay in mind as he dropped Berchelt in both the fourth and ninth rounds, eventually closing the show with an explosive KO in the 10th. Of course, it was the left hook. 

"There's nothing better in life than proving people wrong," Valdez said. "I have a list of people who doubted me. My idols doubted me. Boxing analysts doubted me. 

"They said Berchelt was going to knock me out. I have a message to everybody: Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do." 

Heavyweights on notice

Another man seeking to prove the doubters wrong with Reynoso's esteemed help is former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. 

Ruiz has not fought since arriving in Saudi Arabia rotund and rudderless for his rematch against Anthony Joshua, who racked up a landslide December 2019 points win over the man who had left him dazed and confused in New York six months earlier. 

The eyes of the boxing world are on whether Joshua and Tyson Fury will meet in their anticipated undisputed clash this year, leaving Ruiz to plot a path back to the top away from the limelight. 

"He's lost about 20 pounds and he also has more muscle," Reynoso told Behind the Gloves this week. "He's not as fat as he was before. He can move his hips a lot better and that helps him move around in the ring. 

"I'd love to see him fight Joshua again. With good training I think he could beat him. He's already beaten him. It just takes a little bit of discipline and a good training camp." 

Proving the doubters wrong using the guidance of one of the sharpest minds in the sport today? Canelo, Garcia and Valdez can tell Ruiz plenty about that in the gym, all while under the watchful eye of Reynoso. 

Estrada earned a narrow victory after an all-action bout at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Saturday.

The Mexican saw two judges score the fight in his favour (117-111 and 115-113), while another saw it 115-113 to Gonzalez.

It saw Estrada retain his WBC crown and add Gonzalez's WBA title to his collection, gaining some revenge for his loss to the Nicaraguan in late 2012.

"I think I did enough to win," Estrada told DAZN after his win.

"'Chocolatito' is a great fighter, I think he deserves the trilogy."

Gonzalez told DAZN: "Whatever happened had to happen but I gave it a good fight.

"I would've been happy either way with a result, I did my work."

Estrada and Gonzalez put on a show, combining to throw more than 2,500 punches.

The pair went at each other from the outset, both landing big shots during a wild fourth round.

Neither slowed down and the all-action fight went the distance before Estrada was awarded the split-decision win.

Chris Eubank twice faced Nigel Benn, beating him in their first bout in November 1990 before the pair drew the rematch three years later.

The latter meeting took place on October 9, 1993, and their sons will now take to the ring on October 8, 2022.

Benn's son Conor is still undefeated, with a 21-0 record that he will put on the line against Eubank Jr (32-2) at the O2 Arena in London.

"It's definitely a legacy fight," he said. "There was obviously a great rivalry between Eubank Sr and my dad, Nigel Benn.

"It's a fight that's even still spoken about now. It was one of the greatest British rivalries.

"So, the legacy lives on. It really is for the legacy, this fight. For me, it feels like the stars are aligned for this moment, to be honest."