Conor Benn takes issue with Pep Guardiola quote on Man City charges

British boxer Conor Benn has taken issue with one of Pep Guardiola’s comments made in defence of Manchester City in which the Spaniard claimed: “In England, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. This didn’t happen so they didn’t wait. But let us defend ourselves.” The Destroyer is seemingly strongly against the statement having learned the hard way after his highly-anticipated grudge match with Chris Eubank Jr was waved off following a failed drugs test in October.

Trace amounts of the female fertility drug clomifene were found in Benn’s urine from Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) tests carried out on July 25 and September 1 – throwing his reputation into disrepute.

Benn continues to plead his innocence as he attempts to clear his name, recently posting on Instagram: “Been through hell and back. Thank god for science. The evidence doesn’t lie. No holes in the truth.”

Now it appears the 26-year-old fighter sees similarities between his situation and that of Manchester City – despite disagreeing with Guardiola’s comments that “in England, you are innocent until proven guilty.”

Replying to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano – who tweeted the line from Guardiola – Benn wrote: “No they’re not Pep!”

READ MORE: Man Utd facing ‘worst possible outcome’ as GMP drop Mason Greenwood charges

“You have to understand that 19 teams in the Premier League are accusing us without us having the ability to defend.

“We are lucky we live in a marvellous country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

“We didn’t have this opportunity, we are already sentenced. I am fully convinced we will be [proven] innocent.”

Meanwhile, boxer Benn is hopeful that he will be back in the ring shortly as his battle for innocence also continues.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman recently said The Destroyer was free to fight but having recently given up his British boxing license, any bout would have to take place outside of the UK.

Eddie Hearn recently said Benn was targeting a whole host of big names including Manny Pacquiao.

Terence Crawford, old rival Eubank, Vergil Ortiz Jr and Jaron Ennis are also on his radar.

Much like Manchester City, Benn has a real task on his hands to rebuild his own reputation following the latest debacle, which has seen a number of British boxing fans change their mind on the welterweight world-title hopeful.