British Welterweight Conor Benn (21-0, 14 KO’s) has relinquished his BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) license, according to organization’s official media channels. Benn voluntarily surrendered his license after a hearing – about alleged misconduct – with the BBBofC on the 21st of October.
Now that Benn has relinquished his license, he is not allowed to participate in any matches sanctioned by the BBBofC. Conor Benn can still fight however, as he still has his main boxing license which allows him to fight internationally. It is therefore unclear whether Benn’s relinquishment has any further effects on his career other than that he is not allowed to participate in British-approved bouts.
It is still unclear if Benn will be suspended at any point in time now as the relinquishment of his license means that the BBBofC can no longer hold him liable for suspension. In a way, this breeds speculation that Conor Benn has somehow avoided being punished, after his match with Chris Eubank Jr. fell through due to the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Conor Benn’s team expanded upon the decision by Benn to relinquish his license, explaining on his Twitter page that he thought the BBBofC’s claims of misconduct was “unfair and biased”. They also clarified that his British license had lapsed – meaning that it had to be renewed – and that after the BBBofC had refused to renew his license, he had renounced it instead. Benn also apparently refutes the allegation of misconduct, rationalizing that it the allegation is not related to the failed VADA drug test.
The Twitter post also referenced an international tribunal, but it is still unclear whether they meant an actual international tribunal such as that of The Hague, or one comprised out of boxing organizations or governing bodies. To date there has been no real boxing tribunal of sorts, and his issue seems to be much too irrelevant compared to the cases of major war crimes and such that international courts deal with.
The messages from either camp seem to be very contradicting. While the BBBofC’s language is mostly vague and unclear as to what the consequences are, Conor Benn’s team strongly and clearly disagrees with how Benn is treated, thus culminating in him willingly relinquishing his license.
It is understandable in cases such as alleged drug use that a boxing sanctioning body such as the BBBofC would refuse to extend a boxer’s license, but they also have not made it clear on what exactly this supposed misconduct was, which the Benn team clarified as not being related to his failed drug test. Their decision to cancel the Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn bout also came a bit too late as they announced the cancellation weeks after the supposed failed drug test results came in. Despite having cancelled the bout, they also haven’t officially accused or charged Conor Benn with anything, and the apparent investigation that was supposed to have been launched has still not been concluded.
