Nigel Benn tells Piers Morgan he and Conor were in a ‘dark place’ after son’s positive drug test

Boxing legend Nigel Benn has revealed he and Conor were in a ‘dark place’ following his son’s two positive drug tests for clomifene.

Conor saw his much-anticipated bout with Chris Eubank Jr called off at the 11th hour last October after Sportsmail revealed that he had failed two tests in the lead up to the fight. 

He has always maintained that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, and last month he was readmitted to the World Boxing Council’s rankings – though he awaits the crucial decisions of the British Boxing Board of Control and the UK Anti-Doping agency, who hold ultimate sway over whether or not he will be licensed to fight in the UK anytime soon.

The pair appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Monday evening, in Conor’s first TV appearance since his ban.

Nigel came out fighting for his son and also opened up on how it has affected them, as he told Morgan in the interview which aired at 8pm: ‘Yes, I was in the same position as my son. I was really struggling as well. I don’t really drink but I was drinking half a bottle of red wine a night. I’m on medication. And we were both in a dark place.

Conor Benn maintained his innocence to Piers Morgan during their interview on TalkTV

Nigel Benn admitted he and his son Conor were in a ‘dark place’ after the latter’s positive drug test

Conor Benn revealed he felt suicidal after testing positive for clomifene, had received abuse on social media and also plans not to fight in Britain as he wants to get a licence elsewhere

‘To me it looks like this is a witch hunt. We’re going back to the 1800s. ‘She is a witch, she is a witch, burn her’ and everyone’s, ‘Yeah burn her – hold on a minute, that is my son.

‘If I ever thought my son was guilty of anything I would say, ‘Son I love you, but you know what you have got to deal with this’. I’d hang him out to dry and but I am actually in this training camp with him I was training with him.’

Speaking of the strain the family had been placed under, he added: ‘I was with Conor for five months. I was not here [in Australia], I was in England while he was going through this period, I was there with him… then my mum died so I had so much pressure on me, I was just a mess inside.

‘I was trying to be strong but it was like he was trying to deal with his issue and I was trying to deal with mine and we struggled. We both got through it together.’

Nigel had his own issues with the sport’s authorities back in the 1980s, after he tore up his boxing licence.

He suggested his son was perhaps being punished for his issues with authorities in the past.

Nigel said: ‘I feel they’re dealing with Conor, and not the other fighters is the same way they dealt with me… I don’t know if they’re hold anything against me and using it against my son. ‘

The drug tests caused his fight with Chris Eubank Jr (left) to be cancelled at the 11th hour

During the interview, Morgan queried why the family had not released a 270-page dossier which they say proved Conor’s innocence.

Conor said he didn’t want anything to do with the British Boxing Board of Control and was listening to advice from his laywers, but Nigel agreed with Morgan that they should make it public.

Nigel said: ‘I do agree with you. I do not know what is the legal side of it. But me personally, I know for a fact he is an innocent man.’

Sportsmail earlier reported that Benn felt suicidal after testing positive for clomifene, a drug often used to boost testosterone levels.

During the emotional interview, Conor was close to tears as he detailed his own struggle in the wake of the positive tests. 

He said: ‘It’s been brutal… I didn’t think I was going to make it through this period. I didn’t think, I didn’t think I was going to make it through. I mean, being shamed for something I ain’t even done. You know, it’s hard because it was like, I feel like I was on death row for something I ain’t even done.’

Conor also revealed how he and his family had received abuse, and how he intends not to fight in Britain as he wants to get a licence elsewhere.

Both he and his dad continue to fight to prove his innocence.