One of Conor Benn’s most up-to-date opponents has mentioned he’s ‘not surprised’ by the hostile drug check tesult that has thrown the Briton’s struggle with Chris Eubank Jr into doubt.
Benn is ready to field Eubank Jr in London on Saturday (8 October), almost 30 years after the Britons’ fathers clashed within the ring for the second and remaining time. But it was revealed on Wednesday (5 October) that Benn had returned a drug check consequence with traces of a fetility drug – specifically the banned substance clomifene.
The British Boxing Board of Control then mentioned it had ‘prohibited’ the 157lbs catchweight contest from going down, although each fighters’ promoters are attempting to make sure the bout goes forward per the needs of Benn and Eubank Jr.
Benn final fought in April, knocking out Chris van Heerden in Round 2, whereas his earlier struggle noticed the 26-year-old cease Chris Algieri within the fourth spherical in December.
“Initial thought: Not surprised, not surprised one bit,” Algieri mentioned on Inside Boxing Live, addressing Benn’s hostile drug check consequence.
“I had heard, around the time that I was fighting him, that he was not a clean fighter. And I like to give fighters the benefit of the doubt; this is about competition, I never want to take away from anyone who steps in that squared circle – it’s the most dangerous thing you could ever do.
“I respect every fighter who steps in the ring, [but] I do not respect cheaters, and for me to hear this… this hits hard. It hits hard, it hits home, and again: Not surprised, not surprised.
“There are certain tells, there are certain things. Many, many times I’ve fought world-class guys, and hearing this wasn’t anything that shocked me. It shocked me because he got caught, it didn’t shock me because it’s a reality.”
American Algieri has not fought since his brutal knockout loss to Benn in Liverpool. The 38-year-old has insisted that he’ll compete once more, nevertheless, because of the bitter style that this week’s information has left in his mouth.
“It makes me feel like I can’t stop now,” he mentioned. “I can’t go out against a cheater. I don’t know, there’s a lot of emotions today, and you guys are getting a very raw perspective from me right now. It burns.”
Comparing drug testing within the UK and US, Algieri added: “I’ve fought over in the UK, it wasn’t like fighting over here in America.
“I didn’t see inspectors over my shoulder like they are in New York. When I fight in New York City, I’ve got guys over my back who want to make sure when I go to the bathroom they’re coming with me. I didn’t see that over there. There was very little testing.”
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk