Jason Quigley has called for radical changes to boxing's anti-doping practices after Conor Benn's positive test saw his bout with Chris Eubank Jnr postponed.
In one of the most anticipated fights in the few years, Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jnr were set to clash this Saturday.
However, it was confirmed on Wednesday that Benn failed a drugs test, testing positive for trace amounts of a fertility drug.
Despite Benn testing positive, both fighters, and both promoters Matchroom boxing and Wasserman boxing, released joint statements that the fight would go ahead.
After 24 hours of confusion, the sensible decision was taken on Thursday to postpone the fight, with nobody apart from Eubank Jnr coming out of this looking good.
ℹ️ #EubankJrBenn is postponed pic.twitter.com/xuWwJ4vA9T
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) October 6, 2022
READ HERE: Irish Boxers Speak Facts About Farcical Benn-Eubank Jr Fight
Speaking to Balls.ie in association with Ladbrokes, Jason Quigley said everything Conor Benn has achieved up to this point, and will achieve after, is now brought into question.
“Benn’s career has been tarnished now for good, because it was such a big fight and because it was so big in the media, he is never going to be able to let this go.
"Chris Van Heerden, a friend of mine that I trained with over in the States has come out and says, well was he taking a banned substance when he was fighting me?
"It’s not that Chris is turning around and saying that ‘oh I would’ve won otherwise’, he’s just bringing up the point, and he has every right to.
"Everything that Benn has achieved, there’s a question mark around it now, and everything that he goes on and achieves, if he does, there’s a question mark around that”
Jason Quigley gave a first hand experience as to how inconsistent drug testing currently is in professional boxing, and the dangers it poses.
I was far more tested, anti-doping and anything like that, whenever I was on the Irish national team, then I was as a professional, and that’s saying something.
When I turned professional, I was tested probably 70% less than I was as an amateur, which is crazy.
My last fight was for the World Middleweight Championship, and I got tested once after the fight. I could’ve been juiced up for the whole training camp. There would’ve been nothing said or done about it.
Andrade could’ve been doing it, and their would’ve been nothing said about it.
It is very difficult because one of the red flags that came up over a year ago was Conor Benn refused to sign up to the anti-doping with the WBC or WBA, so he was removed from the rankings, like there you go.”
This week’s scandal exposed many of the issues boxing faces when it comes to doping. Despite testing positive, Benn pleaded his innocence, while the fight was still going to go ahead at one point despite how dangerous it could have been.
The different views between the promoters and the British Boxing Board of Control also raised eyebrows, while Eddie Hearn confirmed that the UK testing and VADA testing provided different results.
In an attempt to ensure this situation happens less often, Jason Quigley has called for governing bodies to combine as one and offer clarity to fighters on the official rules and regulations when it comes to testing.
The governing bodies have to come together and there has to be one anti-doping governing body there that is controlling what you're allowed what you're not allowed.
It needs to be black and white for the fighters, for the public and for the promoters.
There are too many governing bodies, there’s too many tests where the A sample was positive, but the B sample was negative.
You still tested positive, so I don’t understand A sample and B sample. If there’s a banned substance in your system, it doesn’t matter if the B sample is negative or not because it’s there, it’s there, it’s plain as day to see.
I hope I don’t get slated for this but are fighters now going to start thinking well everybody else is on it and there’s a lot of people getting away with it. It’s not that tight, you can get away with a lot in boxing.
So maybe fighters are going to think 'well if everyone else is doing, maybe I should give it a go'.
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