Conor Benn’s ranking will be reinstated as drug testing issue is resolved

Conor Benn’s ranking will be reinstated as drug testing issue is resolved

Benn was removed from the WBC welterweight rankings after failing to enrol in the VADA programme, but his promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed he will be registered shortly

Conor Benn will be back in the WBC welterweight rankings in the coming days after a paperwork issue saw him fail to register for their drug-testing programme.

Benn, one of three Brits to be removed after missing out on registering for the governing body's 'Clean Boxing Programme', simply failed to fill out the requisite paperwork to be enrolled in the VADA testing pool.

His promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed to Mirror Fighting that he is one of many fighters who has yet to fill out forms, and says he is tested regularly by UKAD.

"It's just that he missed out on some paperwork," Hearn said at a press conference for Michael Conlan vs Leigh Wood in Belfast today.

"There are a dozen fighters who haven't filled out the form, it's generally sent to a manager or trainer, sometimes it doesn't even get to the fighter.

"We spoke to them last night, they're going to fill out the forms today and they'll be back in.

"He's on full UKAD 365-day-a-year random testing which is 20 times more stringent than the WBC programme, which is still good for boxing."

Benn, along with No.7 ranked cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith and No.9 ranked bantamweight Lee McGregor, were all removed from the WBC rankings on Wednesday.

Josh Warrington's rival Mauricio Lara, ranked No.4 at featherweight, was also removed, along with Mario Barrios who is No.10 at super lightweight.

"WBC Clean Boxing Program administered by VADA, has reported to the WBC ratings committee that after multiple attempts to enroll a variety of fighters and after the grace period has lapsed for registration," a statement read.

"Consequently the following fighters have been taken out of The WBC rankings. They will have the opportunity to enroll in the program and be considered by the ratings committee."

Benn is expected to return to the ring in April, with Hearn saying that a fight with Adrien Broner is now all but abandoned.

"He's now become such a big draw in the UK that I'd like him to headline his own show," Hearn continued.

"Broner is still available but he'd like a warm-up fight first and I don't think that is a route we want to go down."

Benn improved to 20-0 in December of last year when he brutally knocked out former world champion Chris Algieri in front of a packed crowd in Liverpool.

Algieri, who had gone the distance with Manny Pacquiao during his effort to become a two-weight champion back in 2014, had only been stopped once prior in his career.

The American was dropped in the second before being stopped in the fourth by Benn with a vicious right hand.

The viral knockout has catapulted Benn into a very favourable position as a welterweight, and he is now eyeing up bouts with the likes of Robert Guerrero and Shawn Porter.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxin...-news-26003858