Simon Jordan insists Conor Benn can redeem himself like Tyson Fury and Canelo Alvarez, who bounced back after serving drug bans
Simon Jordan believes Conor Benn should be given the chance to redeem himself after failing two drug tests last year.
‘The Destroyer’ was due to face Chris Eubank Jr in October, but the fight was cancelled after Benn twice tested positive for the banned substance clomifene.
Benn has always insisted he is innocent and recently claimed to have proven so ahead of what he expects to be an imminent acquittal and return to boxing.
However, many in the sport are yet to be convinced that the 26-year-old is innocent and are calling for him to face a lengthy ban for having the fertility drug that doubles as a testosterone booster in his system.
Jordan wants Benn to be given the chance to redeem himself, however.
He said on the talkSPORT Boxing show: “We are in a situation where I am absolutely in the camp of Conor.
“I know people have been more robust about it. You [Spencer Oliver] might be and I know Adam Catterall was [talking] about, ‘This is preposterous that he is even thinking about fighting.”
The former owner of Crystal Palace compared Benn to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and pound-for-pound star Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, who are both revered despite being banned for failing drug tests.
“I’m sorry. I love Tyson Fury, but Tyson Fury was in the same situation for [un]castrated boar meat and got a retrospective ban.
“Canelo Alvarez, arguably the biggest bankable fighter in the world has been redeemed. Alexander Povetkin has been redeemed. So, we can redeem Conor Benn.”
Fury and his cousin Hughie tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in February 2015.
The pair, however, were not charged by UK Anti-Doping until June 2016, by which time Tyson Fury had beaten Wladimir Klitschko to win three of the four major heavyweight titles.
Fury denied any wrongdoing and claimed that his positive drug test was a result of eating wild boar that had not been castrated.
In December 2017, after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to issues with drug abuse and depression, ‘The Gypsy King’ accepted a two-year ban – backdated to December 2015 – before resuming his legendary fight career.
Canelo received a six-month drugs ban that scuppered his rematch with Gennady Golovkin which was eagerly anticipated after they fought a year prior.
The Mexican tested positive for clenbuterol twice before later claiming that meat contamination in his homeland was the cause of the results.
Both Fury and Canelo are now back at the top of the sport. They are highly regarded by fight fans and their past drug test failures are rarely mentioned.
Only time will tell if Benn will be able to turn his career around in a similar way.
Simon Jordan believes Conor Benn should be given the chance to redeem himself after failing two drug tests last year.
‘The Destroyer’ was due to face Chris Eubank Jr in October, but the fight was cancelled after Benn twice tested positive for the banned substance clomifene.
Benn has always insisted he is innocent and recently claimed to have proven so ahead of what he expects to be an imminent acquittal and return to boxing.
However, many in the sport are yet to be convinced that the 26-year-old is innocent and are calling for him to face a lengthy ban for having the fertility drug that doubles as a testosterone booster in his system.
Jordan wants Benn to be given the chance to redeem himself, however.
He said on the talkSPORT Boxing show: “We are in a situation where I am absolutely in the camp of Conor.
“I know people have been more robust about it. You [Spencer Oliver] might be and I know Adam Catterall was [talking] about, ‘This is preposterous that he is even thinking about fighting.”
The former owner of Crystal Palace compared Benn to WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and pound-for-pound star Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, who are both revered despite being banned for failing drug tests.
“I’m sorry. I love Tyson Fury, but Tyson Fury was in the same situation for [un]castrated boar meat and got a retrospective ban.
“Canelo Alvarez, arguably the biggest bankable fighter in the world has been redeemed. Alexander Povetkin has been redeemed. So, we can redeem Conor Benn.”
Fury and his cousin Hughie tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in February 2015.
The pair, however, were not charged by UK Anti-Doping until June 2016, by which time Tyson Fury had beaten Wladimir Klitschko to win three of the four major heavyweight titles.
Fury denied any wrongdoing and claimed that his positive drug test was a result of eating wild boar that had not been castrated.
In December 2017, after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to issues with drug abuse and depression, ‘The Gypsy King’ accepted a two-year ban – backdated to December 2015 – before resuming his legendary fight career.
Canelo received a six-month drugs ban that scuppered his rematch with Gennady Golovkin which was eagerly anticipated after they fought a year prior.
The Mexican tested positive for clenbuterol twice before later claiming that meat contamination in his homeland was the cause of the results.
Both Fury and Canelo are now back at the top of the sport. They are highly regarded by fight fans and their past drug test failures are rarely mentioned.
Only time will tell if Benn will be able to turn his career around in a similar way.
