Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn have reignited their war of words, throwing their potential fight into doubt.
Benn made headlines in October 2022 when his bout with Eubank Jr was cancelled just days before it was due to happen after he twice tested positive for clomifene in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) test, thereby receiving a ban.
Although his suspension in Britain was lifted by the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) in July, the fighter is still facing a potential two-year ban in this country pending the outcome of appeals against that decision by the British Board of Boxing Control (BBBofC) and UK Anti-Doping, as first reported by Mail Sport.
He returned to action after 17 months in September when he took on little-known Mexican Orozco in Orlando, with the BBBofC claiming at the time Benn had not cleared his name and shouldn't be making a return to the ring.
A rescheduled fight between Benn and Eubank Jr had been close to being finalised for February 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Mail Sport exclusively revealed last month.
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn have reignited their war of words with a social media spat
Benn posted a video of himself looking sharp in training and decided to call out his rival
Eubank Jr bit back and fired a dig at the ongoing appeal over a potential suspension for Benn
However, there has not yet been confirmation and Benn took to X, formerly Twitter, to hit out at his rival.
Posting a video of himself looking sharp in training, Benn said: 'You lost you're pen again @ChrisEubankJr.'
However, Eubank Jr bit back by firing a dig at the ongoing appeal over a potential suspension for Benn, along with teasing his rival's grammar.
'You lost 'your' license again,' he replied.
The aforementioned UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control appeal against the decision of the NADP to lift Benn's suspension, may not be heard, let alone resolved, until December or January at the earliest, Mail Sport understands.
The 27-year-old welterweight fighter has maintained his innocence throughout the whole saga
Eubank Jr's camp is keen for the fight to take place, but the BBBofC's approval remains key
Benn has maintained his innocence throughout the saga and spent 'hundreds and thousands' on scientists to clear his name.
Their social media spat comes after reports last week that the BBBofC reportedly rejected Benn's application to take on Eubank Jr.
Michael Benson reported it has been rejected while the appeal in Benn's UKAD case is ongoing.
While both parties are keen to put together plans for a bout, the BBBofC's approval was always the key obstacle to any clash materialising and it remains to be seen what happens next.