Eubank Jr vs Benn ‘near certain’ to be on with Hearn discussing Luxembourg-style deal

Eddie Hearn has indicated the future of Saturday’s fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank will be determined by legal wranglings with the British Boxing Board of Control this afternoon.

Hearn’s Matchroom company have challenged the Board’s refusal to sanction the fight, which was announced on Wednesday in the wake of Sportsmail’s revelation that Benn failed a drugs test.

In the event that those legal manoeuvres fall short, there are figures involved in the fight who are open to pursuing options with a foreign sanctioning body – multiple sources have said as many as three would be under consideration – but Hearn has shot down that possibility.

Saturday’s clash between Chris Eubank Jr (left) and Conor Benn (right) is ‘near certain’ to go ahead

Eddie Hearn is desperately trying to get the British Boxing Board of Control back on side

He told Sportsmail on Thursday: ‘We have no desire to use a foreign authority.’

Hearn subsequently tweeted: ‘Let’s see what today brings but to make one thing clear, I will not be promoting this fight with a foreign commission or alternative governing body on Saturday night.’

His comments follow claims from multiple sources that the fight is ‘near certain’ to go ahead, although that would seem an optimistic view in light of Hearn’s position.

Legal discussions are set to be heard today at the High Court after the Board announced their opposition to the fight ‘in the interests of boxing’. 

Matchroom contend that they should not block the fight as Benn’s positive last month did not come from UKAD testing, and instead was discovered by a VADA test, who are not formally under the Board’s control. Such a view has been met with incredulity around the sport.

Sportsmail’s Riath Al-Samarrai broke the exclusive of Benn’s positive drugs test on Wednesday

Benn tested positive for banned substance clomifene in the build-up to the mega-fight

Benn is pictured in the fight’s build-up, which is due to see him move up two weight classes

Sportsmail also understand that discussions have taken place around revising Eubank Jr’s weight for the fight. 

Under the terms of the existing deal the middleweight will have to enter at a 157-pound catchweight – three pounds below the middleweight limit. 

That he holds such a weight advantage over Benn, a natural welterweight, is already a source of concern, not least from Chris Eubank Snr, who previously said he fears for his son’s life.

However, sources say that limit could be raised amid the fallout from Benn’s positive test.

The Board of Control have remained largely silent throughout the astonishing episode, with the exception of a brief statement on Wednesday announcing their withdrawal. Multiple attempts to contact their general secretary Robert Smith have been made.