Conor Benn was banned from boxing after testing positive for the clomifene during two voluntary drug tests before his fight with Chris Eubank Jr.
The pair were due to fight in October 2022 at the O2 Arena in London. However, Conor Benn failed 2 drug tests that caused the fight to be cancelled and eventually rescheduled for April 2025.
Benn tested positive for the drug clomifene, which caused the fight with Chris Eubank Jr to be cancelled.
He tested clean for the rescheduled Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn fight, although discussion about the drug and its effects have not stopped.
What is Clomifene and what does it do?
Clomifene, which Benn tested positive for on two occasions before the fight, is a medication that is typically taken by women to treat infertility and stimulate ovulation.
It helps the brain to produce hormones that encourage the ovaries to release the eggs, but it has a much different effect when taken by men.
If men take clomifene, it can help the body to boost the production of natural testosterone. This will help to maintain lean muscle mass when cutting weight, as well as improving muscle recovery, strength, endurance and increasing their mental focus.
Using clomifene could have provided Benn with a significant advantage, improving his chances of stopping Eubank Jr.
These effects of this can be very impactful, especially in the boxing ring, which is why it is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Conor Benn denied taking Clomifene after failing 2 drug tests
Despite the charges and suspension, Benn has maintained his innocence throughout.
The boxer wrote a statement on Twitter after being cleared to fight again, where he spoke about his refusal to admit wrongdoing throughout.
Benn wrote: “As someone who is so passionate about boxing and an advocate for clean sport, I hope now that I have been cleared, it can be understood why I have maintained my innocence so strongly throughout.
“As a man of God I bear no ill will toward UKAD or the British Boxing Board of Control, we have a shared ambition of a clean sport and I look forward to reconciling with the Board and moving forward together.”
Additionally, the independent National Anti-Doping Panel declared that they do not believe Benn committed a violation for the use of clomifene, and any charges against him were swiftly removed.
UKAD wrote: “The Panel concluded that it was ‘not comfortably satisfied’ that UKAD had proved that Mr Benn had committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation for the Use of clomifene”
It was suggested by the World Boxing Council that the British fighter may have failed the drug test because of a “highly-elevated consumption of eggs”, which led to Eubank Jr’s egg attack on Benn during a press conference before their rearranged fight.