Podcast: Everything you need to hear about the Eubank-Benn fiasco/postponement
Plus: Fundora-Ocampo card preview; news of the week; breakdown of the new Hall of Fame ballot
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Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn were scheduled to meet on Saturday on DAZN in the marquee fight of the weekend — until Benn’s positive drug test for a banned substance was revealed on Wednesday. It sent the promotion into chaos and despite efforts by the promoters and fighters to have the fight move forward the right thing was finally done and it was called off on Thursday. But there’s still a nice Showtime tripleheader on Saturday night headlined by Sebastian Fundora in a WBC interim junior middleweight title defense against Carlos Ocampo. So, we had our say on the Eubank-Benn mess and preview the Showtime card. We also discuss some of the news of the week.
Here is what’s on the show (in order):
The announcement of the winner of our latest giveaway!
An in-depth and detailed discussion about the Eubank-Benn fiasco in which I explain several important things about drug testing and various aspects of what exactly happened — and what may happen going forward. School is in session!
Featherweight happenings, including Rey Vargas, the WBC featherweight titlist, deciding to move up and being approved to challenge O’Shaquie Foster for the now-vacant WBC junior lightweight title, and the announcement of contender Mauricio Lara’s next fight that will headline on DAZN on Oct. 22.
The rematch between WBC flyweight titlist Julio Cesar Martinez and interim titlist McWilliams Arroyo being added to the scheduled Juan Francisco Estrada-Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez card on Dec. 3.
A tribute to the great Eder Jofre, the Hall of Fame bantamweight and featherweight champion, who died on Sunday.
A discussion of Fundora-Ocampo as well as the other two bouts on the card, Carlos Adames vs. Juan Macias Montiel for the vacant WBC interim middleweight belt and the rematch between IBF junior bantamweight titlist Fernando Martinez and Jerwin Ancajas.
A breakdown of the new Hall of Fame ballot that was sent this week to electors.
Listen, rate and subscribe here and enjoy!
Benn-Eubank photo: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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Well Dan stared out the pod kinda slow but quickly got off several hard shots with his info on how the promoters did not let on that they had information on Benn's drug test failure, then jumped right down with some real effective body shots to the BBBC for being less then effective to say the least. He dropped F - Bombs less then sparingly but never lost his concentration and did not show any affilation with any promoters or platforms. Some may not have liked his praise of the jounalism that is sport jounalism that he raved about for a few seconds but most understand his solid thoughts on it overall.
Winner of best pod of the weekend and without a doubt a fine performance on the disguest we all have for PEDs in any sport but esp in Boxing.....
Great listen, as was Dan on some of UK YouTube channels, particularly iDBoxing.
Hearn [after previously being such a vocal supporter of VADA] trying to hide behind a technicality is absurd. We don't expect too much integrity in boxing, but the fact is he was prepared to put a [more than usual] weight drained fighter in with his own fighter who's tested positive for [regardless of a small amount at the time of testing - we're all sensible enough to understand what it really means - as Dan outlines so well in this podcast] a heavy duty substance/masking agent. Hopefully the story doesn't end here. We need more transparency in the sport.
In this case I think the promoters and BBBOC have more questions to answer than the fighter. Was Eubank's purse increased and was he asked to sign an NDA? How many other UK fights have taken place in similar circumstances?