Conor Benn, a former two-weight world champion, recently spoke openly about his mental health struggles following his positive drugs test and the resulting cancellation of his fight against Chris Eubank Jr.
In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV, the 26-year-old boxer shared the nightmare he went through when the much-anticipated showdown was called off just three days before the scheduled date.
Benn revealed that he felt suicidal and cried most nights, admitting that he did not think he would see another day. He suffered from night terrors and panic attacks for two months and received negative comments on social media that worsened his mental health, including racist remarks directed towards his son and family.
Although the World Boxing Council cleared Benn of intentional doping, he faced continuous abuse on social media that resulted in him feeling ashamed to leave his house.
Benn clarified that he did not blame social media for his struggles but rather the shame he felt for being associated with the drug scandal.
His father, former world champion Nigel Benn, was also emotionally affected by the situation.
The WBC recently ruled that “highly elevated consumption of eggs” was the most likely explanation for Benn’s adverse findings, and he was grateful for the decision and looking forward to getting back into the ring soon.
Conor Benn’s revelation about his mental health struggles adds to the growing concern about mental health issues in sports.
Athletes face immense pressure to perform and endure harsh criticism in the public eye, leading to mental health problems. Benn’s disclosure serves as a reminder that behind the physical prowess and glory of sports, there is a human beings battling their inner demons.
