Now Benn claims Eubank attempted ‘£1m blackmail’
CHRIs EUBANK JNR has labelled Conor Benn a drugs cheat after watching his interview with Piers Morgan — sparking an allegation from Benn that his rival attempted to ‘blackmail’ him for £1million.
Benn faces a possible two-year ban pending the outcome of a UK Anti-Doping investigation into his two positive drugs tests last year, as first revealed by Sportsmail.
In his interview with Morgan, Benn doubled down on his claim to innocence in the wake of being controversially permitted to return to the WBC’s rankings.
the sanctioning body’s verdict last month was met with incredulity after they indicated a hefty consumption of eggs could have caused his adverse findings for the testosterone-boosting substance clomifene — a defence Benn admitted he had never attempted to make, in favour of an alternative legal route that sought to blame flawed testing procedures that may have contaminated his samples. that account was dismissed by the WBC.
Having watched Benn describe suicidal feelings during the saga that led to the cancellation of their bout in October, for which each man was due to earn £3.5m, Eubank Jnr ( right) was scathing.
He posted on twitter: ‘I was 99% sure @ConorNigel was a cheat but after watching that interview now I’m 100% sure. Imagine failing tWO drugs tests & then trying to play the victim!? the balls on this kid!! Or should I say... the eggs on h i m’ . Benn responded quickly by writing: ‘You’re sat there trying to play the victim but tried blackmailing me for 1m pound.’ Eubank’s team have been approached for comment. sources close to Eubank indicated to Sportsmail it would be routine to attempt to renegotiate fight terms given the dramatic change in circumstances and the perceived extra risks to the 33year-old, who was dropping down to a catch-weight of 157 pounds. Benn has repeatedly used the WBC’s verdict as a means of stating that his innocence has been proved, despite the narrow remit of the body’s jurisdiction. He has also raised eyebrows for his refusal to co-operate with UKAD’s investigation, which will determine when he can next fight in the UK. Benn, 26, was pushed on why his legal team has not sent their 270page dossier of evidence to UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control. He said: ‘I couldn’t care less. that’s down to my legal team.’
When asked what would stop him from complying with the only investigation that has the power to clear him, he said: ‘My pride. the way they’ve dealt with this. I don’t have to be licensed by the board. I don’t plan to fight in Britain any time soon.’