Josh Warrington calls for Conor Benn to get lifetime ban from boxing after failed drugs test

Benn’s eagerly-anticipated bout with Chris Eubank Jr was postponed after a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) test found trace amounts of a female fertility drug, clomiphene, which elevates testosterone levels.

The 26-year-old has maintained his stance that he is a “clean athlete” and insisted before last weekend’s postponement that he had never committed a violation.

Warrington believes the brutal nature of boxing means that any fighters who used banned substances, should not be allowed back in the ring.

Benn was on the undercard in Leeds last September as he fought prior to Warrington’s second meeting with Mauricio Lara at Headingley Stadium.

In his first fight with Lara, the Mexican knocked Warrington out for the first loss of his professional career – highlighting the brutal nature of the sport.

“You never like to hear about people cheating in sport, especially a sport like boxing where you go in there to hurt each other,” said Warrington, who defends his IBF featherweight title against Luis Alberto Lopez in Leeds on December 10.

“People call it a science, we call it an art but it’s also barbaric and I’m gutted because I like Conor. Obviously he’s going to get to say his piece and try and clear his name but in black and white he’s been caught with illegal substances in his body so, if you’re guilty, you’re guilty.

“I’ve spoken strongly against drug cheats in the sport for a long time. It’s too f***ing hard a sport man, people die in the ring.

“Even something physical like rugby, if a player is on drugs and he clashes into a player and knocks a player out, the player is going to be knocked out (and be taken off).

“But when you’re in the ring and you hit somebody, they might go down, they get up and you hit them again, and you hit them again, and you hit them again, it’s barbaric, so it should be a lifetime ban.

“Obviously Conor is going to come out with his reasons but there should be no reason why he’s got that in his system.”

Warrington shares the same promoter, Matchroom Boxing, as Benn and believes how the positive test was handled put the sport of boxing in a bad light.

After the positive test was revealed, Matchroom insisted the bout would go ahead, before the British Board of Control weighed in to prohibit the bout from going ahead.

“It’s done the sport no favours whatsoever with the way it’s come out, the way it’s been handled,” added Warrington.

“It’s put the promoters in a bad light, it’s put the British Board of Control in a bad light.

“I was shocked and I was gutted, both of those emotions. People have already made comments, ‘that’s why he’s as good as he is’, ‘that’s why he’s improved so quickly’.

“All I wanted to do was believe it was hard work and dedication. I’m not saying he’s not trained hard, he’s definitely trained hard. But if he’s had an advantage then you get your gains quicker than anyone who’s not using substances.”