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Conor Benn's comeback may be fraught with difficulties, but that does not mean he or his promoters want to give up.
It had been rumoured for weeks that the troubled British welterweight will fight again on June 3 in Abu Dhabi, but according to Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, the new target date is now June 17.
Additionally, Hearn appeared to imply in a recent interview that Benn's comeback is currently being planned for the United States. Benn cannot compete in his native country because he lacks a licence from the British Boxing Board of Control. Although Benn is legally permitted to fight in foreign countries, the Board may advise such countries to not punish him.
Since it was made public that Benn had two positive drug tests in the previous year, his high-profile fight with Chris Eubank Jr. had to be postponed. The 26-year-old was formally accused of a doping offence by United Kingdom Anti-Doping in April after being placed under a temporary suspension by the organisation in March. Benn might receive a two-year suspension.
“We’re looking at him fighting on June 17,” Hearn told ProBox TV, “but at the same time there’s a lot of conversations I’m not a part of—with his legal team and UKAD —that are going through that process. We can fight now, but I’m worried about him getting a fair crack of the whip in his hearing.
“I think people have made up their minds and made a decision. By necessarily rubbing people up the wrong way that might not help him either, but his team are talking to UKAD. He’s going through that process everybody wanted him to go through, and we’ll see what happens.”
Hearn replied, "America," when asked where Benn would most likely fight on June 17 and confirmed that he thought there was a more than 50% probability that it would take place there.