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Reuters

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Reuters

A loaded card awaits the audience at the Caribe Royale Hotel in Orlando, Florida, two weeks from now. Richardson HitchinsJose Zepeda Light Welterweight is a DAZN live stream scheduled for September 23. It features a Welterweight title bout, a regional challenge, and two other cards. As the news appears, there remains a high possibility that another card can turn up on fight night.

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talkSPORT’s Michael Benson has a new update on Conor Benn. Reportedly, ‘The Destroyer’ might return to the ring with a fight against Ukrainian Ivan Redkach on the Hitchins-Zepeda card. The son of British boxing legend Nigel Benn fought a title defense in April last year. He was about to take on another legend’s son. But troubles ensued, with reports of Conor Benn failing two drug tests becoming public.

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Conor Benn: An update

Since the official postponement of the Chris Eubank Jr. fight, which eventually never materialized, as it happened, Conor Benn ran from pillar to post to clear his name. In between the happy news of the WBC removing his name from any ‘intentional doping,’ dropped in the report of the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) provisionally suspending him from all sporting activities on March 15.

The situation went through twists and turns. Conor Benn claimed to have resorted to fights outside the UK since he surrendered his British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC). But finally, he heaved a sigh of relief. On July 28, he updated that UKAD had lifted the suspension, enabling him to fight in the United Kingdom. The governing body stated, “UKAD can confirm Mr. Benn is no longer provisionally suspended under the UK Anti-Doping Rules.

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However, they notified on reserving their rights to appeal the National Anti-Doping Panel’s (NADP) decision within 21 days. BBBoC acknowledged it as well. After twenty days, their statement read: “The BBBoC has an independent right to appeal the decision and, as the governing body for professional boxing in the United Kingdom and having due regard to its role and responsibilities, has elected to do so. The BBBoC can also confirm that UKAD has also appealed. The said appeal shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant rules. In accordance with those, the BBBoC is unable to comment further at this time.

Thus, given that the proceedings are still in force, it remains to be seen how the situation eventually turns out—favorable or unfavorable for Conor Benn.

Options galore

Present at the ringside of the Eubank Jr.-Smith bout, Conor Benn reportedly remained unimpressed with the former’s performance. While fans might want the two to complete the unfinished business, reports of ‘The Destroyer’ returning to Florida must have startled many. But then there are also talks of a Manny Pacquiao fight. Hence, against which opponent Benn finally lines up remains something everyone is eagerly looking forward to.

Read More: “Man’s a Clown”: Amid Doping Test Debacle, Conor Benn’s Apology Doesn’t Sit Well With the Boxing World

If cleared completely, do you think Conor Benn should first complete the pending business with Chris Eubank Jr.? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: Conor Benn Was Contemplating His Suicide, Says His Wife Cried Thinking He Killed Himself After Not Picking Up Her Call Amid Doping Test Fiasco

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Jaideep R Unnithan

3,734 Articles

Jaideep R. Unnithan is a Senior Boxing Writer at EssentiallySports and one of the division’s most trusted voices. Since joining in October 2022, he has brought a deep love for the sport into every story, whether reporting on live bouts with the ES LiveEvent Desk or unpacking the legacy of fighters from different eras as part of the features desk. Trained under EssentiallySports’ prestigious Journalistic Excellence Program, which is a specialized training initiative designed to refine top writers' skills through mentorship and advanced sports journalism techniques, Jaideep’s writing reflects a quiet authority shaped by two years of covering boxing’s flashpoints and fault lines. He is drawn to the warrior code of legends like Alexis Argüello and Marvin Hagler, while also staying attuned to the promise of rising stars like Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez, David Benavidez, and Dmitry Bivol. Jaideep has a special fascination with Naoya Inoue’s old-school grit. Beyond writing, he reads widely, a habit that sharpens his storytelling, whether he’s tracing the rhythm of a classic fight or preparing his next ringside dispatch. Before joining EssentiallySports, Jaideep worked as a client manager and team manager in corporate roles, bringing strong organizational and communication skills to his journalistic career. He has also completed notable certifications, including a Non-Fiction Book Writing Workshop.

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Snigdhaa Jaiswal

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