Conor Benn’s hopes of fighting Chris Eubank Jr in the UK have been dealt a blow after the British Boxing Board of Control rejected an application to stage the bout in this country.
Robert Smith, general secretary of the governing body, told talkSPORT on Wednesday that the BBBoC made the decision because it believes the investigation into Benn’s two failed drugs tests remains ongoing.
Benn and Eubank Jr had been due to fight in a catchweight contest last October, but the bout had to be cancelled days out from the event after Benn tested positive for banned substance Clomifene on two occasions.
It resulted in Benn being hit with a provisional suspension and while it was announced in July that he had been cleared by an independent National Anti-Doping Panel, the BBBoC and UK Anti-Doping appealed against the decision to lift Benn’s provisional ban.
Benn was able to fight for the first time in 525 days in September but his unanimous points victory over Rodolfo Orozco had to be staged in Florida.
It did still appear to open the door for a long-awaited clash with Eubank Jr, but talks over a potential February 3 date could now be scuppered.
Smith told talkSPORT: “The Board feel that any athlete, not just a boxer, but any athlete who has failed a drugs test needs to go through an investigation with the proper authorities and that hasn’t happened.
“We’re waiting for that to happen and the Boxing Board and UKAD have been pushing for that to happen right from the beginning of this and unfortunately it’s been delayed, not through the Boxing Board of Control or UKAD, but through other parties.
“With regard to Mr Benn boxing in this country, we have had an application for him to box in this country, that has been refused.”
The PA news agency has contacted promoters Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing, but both have declined to comment.
Benn and Eubank Jr traded blows over social media on Monday night with the former teasing the date of the proposed fight between the sons of old rivals Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank.
“I’ll remind you of this when you are being scraped up off the f****** canvas. Feb 3 I’m ending your career,” Benn said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
However, any potential fight to settle the feud may have to take place overseas or be licensed in England by an alternative boxing body.
Walsh remembers the magic of O’Brien, as Mullins goes for British crown
Ted Walsh believes even if Willie Mullins does not manage to emulate Vincent O’Brien by being crowned champion trainer in the UK when based in Ireland, both have played their part in changing the face of National Hunt racing.
Given the feats will be over 70 years apart – O’Brien was champion trainer for successive seasons in the early 1950s – Walsh feels it is difficult to compare their achievements.
However, he is left in no doubt that just like O’Brien, Mullins is destined to be remembered as a man who changed his sport.
“It’s very hard to compare anything like that because the prize-money was totally different,” said Walsh.
“Willie has never been that bothered about it, he admits it, but now he’s in front he may as well have a good go. He was very close one year when Vautour fell at Aintree (2016), if he had won Willie would have been champion.
“Whether Willie is champion trainer in England or not – it would be a great achievement, but he’s the real deal whether he does it or not.”
O’Brien was a pioneer who after dominating the National Hunt scene in the 1950s and 1960s, later switched his attentions to the Flat, winning the Triple Crown with Nijinsky in 1970. He remains the last man to win the Triple Crown.
“Vincent won three English Nationals with three different horses three years in a row (Early Mist 1953, Royal Tan 1954 and Quare Times 1955), three Champion Hurdles with Hatton’s Grace (1949–1951), the Gloucester Hurdle at Cheltenham used to divide and in 15 years he won 11 of them!” said an incredulous Walsh.
“Of course after doing all that he went and did the same on the Flat!
“He told me once that he always travelled first class on the train because there was a chance of meeting someone with money! He met John McShane on a train going to Doncaster for the sales and he bought him Ballymoss and Gladness. Ballymoss he won an Irish Derby, the Leger and the Arc and Gladness won the Ebor and the Ascot Gold Cup the following year.
“Vincent set the standard. I knew him, but whenever I saw him I would say ‘Hello Mr O’Brien’ – it was never Vincent. My father knew him well, he was from a similar area to us.”
The victory of I Am Maximus in Saturday’s Grand National means Mullins holds an advantage over Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls, setting up a fantastic finale with Closutton set to be well represented at Ayr and Sandown over the next two weekends.
“Like Willie is now, Vincent was a hero, everybody looked up to him. I remember growing up as kid listening to my dad and my uncle Ted talking about Vincent,” said Walsh, who won the National with Papillon in 2000.
“I’d say it was pretty similar in those days of people getting sick of Vincent winning, he didn’t quite dominate Cheltenham like Willie does – but I’m sure people were sick of it!
“It was a huge achievement Vincent winning the UK title, I don’t know if he was the first man to try, but he was the first to do it. But Vincent did so many things first.
“He was the first to fly horses from Ireland, the first person to put in an all-weather gallop in Ireland and now everybody has them. He was a pioneer, he brought the sport forward years.
“Like Willie really, Willie has changed it as well but the scale of what he is doing makes it different. Transporting the horses now is different, they have lovely lorries with air conditioning, the roads are so much better so that makes it easier. Everything has moved on.
“I wouldn’t say one fellow was better than the other, but Vincent set the ball rolling and it hasn’t been done by anybody since Vincent.
“When I was growing up Vincent was inaccessible, he was almost treated like royalty, but Willie is the most approachable fellow, he’s very good for the sport and he’s a great ambassador for racing.”
Jerone Ennis impresses in professional debut with first-round knockout
Jamaican boxer Jerone "Beast" Ennis made a memorable transition from amateur standout to professional prospect with a commanding victory in his debut fight on Saturday night at the Pickering Casino Resort. Ennis, a two-time Caribbean Amateur Champion, showcased his skills and promise by knocking out his Argentinian opponent Marcelo Adrian Fernandez (4-3-1) at 1:51 into the first round of their scheduled four-round contest in the light-heavyweight division.
Ennis wasted no time in displaying his pedigree, exhibiting poise, ring intelligence, and superior technique early in the fight. His chief-cornerman, Ryan "RG" Grant, commended Ennis's performance, stating, "He performed real well, he is a real promising talent coming out of Jamaica. I like that he's a thinker in there and he's got good eyes, looking and seeing his spots to land and to move on defense."
The turning point came when Ennis unleashed a powerful overhand right that sent Fernandez crashing to the canvas, beating the referee's 10-count only to face a relentless barrage of punches from Ennis. The onslaught forced the referee to intervene, awarding Ennis a TKO victory at 1:51 of the first round.
Ennis's victory was significant, as he became the first boxer to stop Marcelo Adrian Fernandez in the opening round of any fight. President of United Boxing Promotions, Tyler Buxton, expressed his satisfaction with Ennis's debut performance, highlighting the promising future ahead for the young Jamaican prospect.
Fellow countryman and stablemate Kemahl "Hitman" Russell praised Ennis's debut, stating, "He did what he was expected to do, the formula worked - training in Jamaica and showing up and proving on the big stage. He has a bright future."
Looking ahead, Ryan Grant emphasized the importance of keeping Ennis active in the ring without any setbacks, indicating high expectations for the rising star.
Born on February 4, 2000, in Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Jerone Ennis represented Jamaica at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., reaching the quarter-final stage before making his professional debut. Ennis joins an esteemed roster of Jamaican fighters under United Boxing Promotions, including heavyweight Ricardo "Big 12" Brown, middleweight Kemahl "The Hitman" Russell, super welterweight Joshua "HellRazor" Frazer, and super middleweight Shakeel "The Jamaican Juggernaut" Phinn.
Jerone Ennis's successful professional debut marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in his boxing career, with aspirations of achieving further milestones and making a significant impact on the international stage.
This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation – Fury on Usyk showdown
Tyson Fury has declared it is “my time, my destiny, my era and my generation” ahead of his blockbuster showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
WBC champion Fury is set to fight Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO title-holder Usyk on May 18 in Saudi Arabia in the first undisputed world heavyweight bout of the century.
Regarding his opponent, the former unified cruiserweight champion who made his heavyweight debut in 2020, Fury told a press conference on Wednesday: “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business for both fighters. There’s a lot of stuff on the line, but I don’t hate him, he don’t hate me.
“I respect him, as a man, as a fighter. Everyone has to respect the man’s achievements. Good fighter – I have a tough challenge in front of me. But I’m very confident in my ability and I’m very confident I’ll beat the guy.
“When the cruiserweights step up to the big boys, usually they get found wanting. You can beat the average big ones but you can’t beat the elite big ones, because size really matters. We have weight divisions for a reason and he’s going to be found wanting when he fights me on May 18.
“This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation. Fact.”
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