'I HAVE doubted his innocence': Conor Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn admits even he has questioned 'The Destroyer' after two failed drugs tests ruined grudge match with Chris Eubank Jr... but insists the boxer IS clean 'based on the facts'

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Conor Benn's promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted he has not always been convinced that his fighter is innocent after he failed two drugs tests ahead of his cancelled fight with Chris Eubank Jr.

Benn tested positive for the banned substance clomifene in two separate VADA tests, leading to his grudge match against Eubank Jr being shelved two days before it was due to take place.

The 26-year-old has protested his innocence, and is currently looking into how the substance got into his system.

Hearn has revealed he had doubts about whether 'The Destroyer' is a clean athlete, but insists he's backing Benn as he expects 'the facts' to clear the boxer of any wrongdoing.

'Yes, I have doubted his innocence,' Hearn told SecondsOut.  

'But I’ve made the decision – based on the facts, based on talking to him, based on knowing him, based on going through this process – that I believe that he’s innocent.

'People might criticise me for that, but I’m entitled to my opinion.'

Conor Benn failed two drugs tests ahead of his grudge match with Chris Eubank Jr

This led to the fight between the pair being cancelled at short notice last month

Promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted he has doubted whether Benn, his fighter, is innocent 

In the aftermath of his failed tests, Benn has continued to claim that he has done nothing wrong.

Just days after the Eubank Jr fight fell through, he posted on Instagram: 'I hope the apology is as loud as the disrespect!'

This message appeared to be directed at those who had already decided that he was guilty of intentionally taking performance-enhancing drugs.

He has since spoken of how he has spent upwards of £100,000 on scientists to try to get to the bottom of his case.

However, Hearn now thinks Benn is clean 'based on the facts' and speaking to the fighter

Benn's legal team are looking into whether chicken eggs could have caused trace amounts of clomifene to get into his system as the fighter was eating '30-34 eggs a week' in the lead-up to the Eubank Jr bout.

Meanwhile, Benn has called for patience from the public, and feels 'contamination' caused his positive tests.

'I just want people to wait, take a step back and wait for the science, wait for the evidence, wait for the actual proof of what this is. The only thing I can think is contamination,' he said in an interview with The Times.