EUBANK JNR: THE PUBLIC WILL NEVER FORGIVE BENN FOR FAILED DRUG TESTS

CHRIS EUBANK JUNIOR claims Conor Benn will always be seen as a drugs cheat because of his two failed tests.

Eubank saw his box-office clash with Benn fall through at the 11th hour last month when his rival tested positive for a banned substance.

It was later revealed Benn had also failed a test in July, and Eubank says he will never be forgiven by the British boxing public. “Even if, by some miracle, he’s found not guilty, he’s still guilty,” said Eubank, who faces Liam Smith at Manchester’s AO Arena on January 21.

“It’s been out there too long and everybody already thinks he cheated. A lawyer, a piece of paper, or the King of England can say he is forgiven, it doesn’t matter – he’s guilty in the court of public perception and he has to accept that.

“If he plays the victim and blames contamination and says everyone has it in for him, if he keeps going down that route, then nobody is going to be able to forgive him.

“The verdict is out, it doesn’t matter what comes next – he’s guilty in the eyes of the public and once you’re branded by the public, that’s it. I was never told about the July test. I wouldn’t have accepted the fight at the start of August if I had known that he had failed a test.”

Eubank claims he is still willing to fight Benn (both right) one day, but only at his natural weight of 160lb, rather than the 157lb agreed for their aborted catchweight clash.

“That fight is still probably going to happen down the line,” added Eubank. “We will not fight at that weight again. He doesn’t deserve me going through that again.

“He messed up once and now I hold all the bargaining chips, he has nothing to bargain with. If he still wants the fight to happen, then it’s my way or the highway.”