Conor Benn lost his “credibility” after failing two voluntary drug tests last year, says rival Chris Eubank Jr.

Benn suggested “contamination” may be to blame, but Eubank Jr said a fighter was ultimately responsible for whatever was in their system.

“He can’t be the star that everyone was trying to build him up to be,” he said.

“When you fail drugs test, you take that aura away. My advice would be to lean into the bad boy thing.”

Eubank said Benn “can’t be the golden boy” anymore and should apologise regardless of what caused the failed tests.

“You control what goes into your system,” added Eubank Jr. “If you make the mistake, then you’re guilty. I’ve never made the mistake.”

Benn, 26, tested positive for banned substance clomifene on two separate occasions in the build-up to his fight with Eubank Jr last October.

Clomifene can be used to boost testosterone levels in men and is banned inside and outside competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

The son of former world champion Nigel Benn, Conor has repeatedly denied intentionally taking performance-enhancing drugs, but is yet to make public evidence of his innocence.

But Eubank Jr believes Benn should apologise because people “lost so much money and time and effort” with the cancellation of the first fight.

“You need to hope people will start to get back on your side,” he said.

But he warned Benn had “a long way to go”.

“You’re going about it the wrong way if you’re playing the victim and trying to prove your innocence after four months,” he added.

“He’s going to have to be the bad guy. Like me, I was the bad guy.

“Maybe I am still the bad guy. I’ve been doing it for 10 years – walking into arenas being booed, spat at, drinks thrown, trolled online day in, day out.

“I had to embrace that role. I was never the hero. I’d go into guys’ backyards, go into the towns where they didn’t want me to win. And really that seems like what he’s going to have to do.”

Sanctioning body the WBC (World Boxing Council) and the UK Anti-Doping Agency (Ukad) are investigating the failed drug tests taken by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada), but results of those cases are yet to be released.

‘Fight is much bigger’

Despite the ongoing controversy, Eubank does believe the fight with Benn will happen in the future.

Benn versus Eubank was built on the fierce rivalry their fathers, Nigel and Chris, enjoyed in the 1990s. The fathers fought twice, the 1993 rematch ending in a controversial draw.

Eubank Jr, a middleweight, was prepared to cut down to 157lbs for the original fight but insists he will not agree to the same terms again.

“Conor’s lost all his privileges,” he said.

“There are no weight clauses. He’s lost his credibility. He’s lost his bartering power.”

Eubank Jr, who fights Liam Smith this Saturday in Manchester, believes a fight between him and Benn could potentially fill out a major venue after the controversy.

“If and when the fight does happen whether it’s next year or two years or five years from now, it’s a stadium fight,” he added.

“Now we have our own story. Now we have our own reasons for wanting to get in that ring and fight.

“He has done wrong by me in terms of how he went about this whole thing. I don’t like Conor Benn anymore. Before I was neutral.”

“That means that the story and the narrative and fight is so much bigger and so much more real.”