Simon Jordan and Frank Warren got into a heated debate on talkSPORT on Thursday afternoon.
Warren joined the White and Jordan show just after midday in a discussion about the lifting of Conor Benn’s drug suspension.
Jordan criticised Warren for his stance on Benn’s suspension being lifted[/caption]
Benn failed two drug tests for the banned substance Clomifene taken before his cancelled fight with Chris Eubank Jr in 2022 and was handed a provisional suspension from the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).
The suspension was briefly lifted last July by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP), allowing Benn to return to the ring for two fights in America before it was re-instated following an appeal from the BBBofC and the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD).
However, on Wednesday, it was confirmed that the NADP had dismissed the boxer’s charge and lifted his suspension once again.
The full facts and findings can’t be released until Benn gives the NADP and UKAD permission to share the results publicly.
And so Warren, who was previously a very vocal critic, opted to remain coy on the topic and chose not to cast judgement without the full facts.
This prompted Jordan to say: “It’s interesting because you were very condemnatory of the situation two years ago and you’re not so condemnatory now.
“Because strict liability is very simple, and you know more about this, as you regularly point out to people that listen to you, you know more about things than people like me do.
“But the clear guidelines around drug offences are strict liability. If you have got drugs in your system, you are under the auspice of strict liability, you’re getting a ban and the ban can be reduced.”
A frustrated Warren responded: “I’m not defending him and I haven’t changed my opinion, I don’t know why you are saying that?”
Jordan then interrupted: “I’m saying it because you have lined up with Eddie [Hearn] and you don’t want to say anything derogatory about one another and that’s his (Benn’s) promoter,” in reference to Matchroom and Queensberry’s deal with the same broadcaster, DAZN.
“Well, you won’t say anything derogatory about your pal, [BOXXER chief] Ben Shalom and his mate [Mazhar] Majeed,” Warren bit back.
“How do you feel about him working with the cricket fixer?”
Mazhar Majeed was the man at the centre of the spot-fixing cricket scandal where three members of Pakistan’s national cricket team, were convicted of taking bribes from Majeed to deliberately bowl no-balls in a Test Match against England in 2010. Majeed himself was jailed.
“I think it is appalling and I don’t think he is working with him,” Jordan said. “I think he is the manager of Joshua Buatsi and Eddie Hearn worked with Joshua Buatsi and you have worked with fighters that have got a relationship with Mazhar Majeed?”
Jordan’s accusations were met with stark resistance from Warren: “Who have I worked with that has a relationship with him?”
Jordan didn’t name any names and said he would ‘need a second to think about it’.
“It will take you longer than a second I promise you,” replied Warren.
“But besides that all I’m saying is we don’t know they have come to this conclusion.
“Is Conor innocent? Until we know the facts nobody can give an opinion on it but the Boxing Board of Control will know.”
Watch the video in full above and catch White and Jordan on talkSPORT every weekday from 10am
