Conor Benn and Eubank Jr in verbal agreement for their bout to go ahead

The fight between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr has been "prohibited" by British boxing officials after Benn failed a drugs test ahead of the scheduled weekend bout in London.

The catchweight fight was called off earlier on Wednesday after it was revealed Benn had tested positive for "adverse analytical findings for trace amounts of a fertility drug," only for promoters to insist the fight would go on.

However, the British Boxing Board of Control has now ruled that the fight at the O2 Arena cannot go ahead.

Its statement read: “On the evening of 4th October 2022, the board of the British Boxing Board of Control Limited resolved that the contest between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn scheduled to take place on 8th October 2022 is prohibited as it is not in the interests of boxing.

“That was communicated to the boxers and promoters involved on the morning of 5th October 2022.” The contest would be the third bout between the families, after their fathers fought twice in the early 1990s in one of British boxing’s greatest rivalries.

Matchroom and Wasserman Boxing had previously issued a joint statement regarding the doping test.

“We have been made aware that a random anti-doping test for Conor Benn conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association returned an adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug.

“The B sample has yet to be tested, meaning that no rule violation has been confirmed. Indeed, Mr Benn has not been charged with any rule violation, he is not suspended, and he remains free to fight.

Matchroom's Eddie Hearn has since stated that lawyers were "back and forth" trying to get the fight to take place.