Matchroom Boxing home in on Conor Benn versus Chris Eubank Jr for Abu Dhabi

Matchroom Boxing are confident of delivering a headline fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr for the company’s Abu Dhabi return in September.

Promoters Matchroom, who last year entered into a long-term agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, are currently working on a September 23 event at Etihad Arena, with the aim of securing Benn-Eubank Jr within the next week. Matchroom had initially targeted June 3 for their second show in the emirate.

Speaking to The National, Matchroom Boxing chief executive Frank Smith said: “We’ve been back and forward to Abu Dhabi over the last few months, working through plans with the DCT, and the aim is to deliver an event on September 23 at Etihad Arena.

“Hopefully within the next week or so we’ll be able to get something up and running. But they’re the discussions right now, and the focus for us is to bring the Eubank-Benn fight over.

“I’m very confident that that’s the fight we’re going to be able to deliver. There’s work to be done – as I said, we’re still working through the detail with the DCT – but I’m very confident we’ll be able to get that fight over the line for that date.”

Benn and Eubank Jr, both sons of former rival world champions, were originally scheduled to fight at O2 Arena in England in October, but the bout was cancelled 24 hours before after it was found that Benn had tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in August.

The unbeaten welterweight, 21-0 as a professional, was in February cleared by the WBC of intentionally doping and subsequently restored to their rankings. Benn, who has repeatedly protested his innocence, is still prohibited by the British Boxing Board of Control from competing in the UK.

Smith said that, while