Eubank Jr likely to be denied permission for revival of Benn fight

The proposed revival of Conor Benn’s bout against Chris Eubank Jr is in danger of being derailed because the British Boxing Board of Control is likely to deny the latter permission to take part in the fight even if it is located abroad. All British boxing licence-holders need to apply to the board for permission to compete in a foreign territory under a different commission. If they refuse to do so then they run the risk of their British licence being suspended.

Benn relinquished his British licence last October and so he does not need clearance from the BBBC to box again. But his trainers and Eubank Jr do require authorisation from the board.

Asked if the BBBC is likely to grant them permission under the current circumstances, with Benn having tested positive for clomifene on two separate occasions before the original bout scheduled between the pair last year, Robert Smith, the general secretary of the board, said: “If the situation remains as it is today then I would think that would be unlikely. But we have not had any applications.

“Permission might be withheld for lots of reasons. We won’t unreasonably withhold it but have to take into account the relevant factors that we know at the time of application. Each case is different.”

There has been intense speculation in recent days that Benn and Eubank Jr might fight in Abu Dhabi on 3 June. But plans to resurrect the bout, scheduled for last October, will be affected by board regulations which, as Smith says, are unequivocal: “If any British licence holder – boxer, trainer, etc – wants to fight in a tournament abroad with another commission they have to apply to us for permission. Once we get an application from a British licence holder to take part in an event abroad