Holy ****, if this is true, it's the second time he's been caught on the juice. ****er. Did anyone hear a single word, pre-fight, from Eddie Hearn?
Eddie has released a statement without deny the test just saying that both fighters were cleared by the British Board of Boxing Control to fight. It's alleged that Whytes A Sample has tested positive for one or more banned substances and the B sample will be tested. And it's also claimed that neither the WBC or Oscar Rivas were informed about the failed test prior to the fight. He previously served a two year ban after testing positive for taking speed. If he's found to have failed again will he be handed a serious ban or will it be the usual boxing standard that's dished out nowadays
We get to see the first of the World Boxing Super Series Finalists, Murat Gassiev, make the long awaited heavyweight debut. Gassiev lost his WBA & IBF Cruiserweight Titles to Oleksandr Usyk, allowing the latter to hold the WBA, IBF, WBC & WBO belts. Gassiev lost a points decision, going down on all cards. 109-119, 109-119 & 108-120. He fights the American Joey Dawejko who holds a record of 19-7-4, but has only been stopped once. He's lost his last three and is ranked 14 in the USA and 58 in the world according to BoxRec. I should imagine this will be easy work for Gassiev. It'll be interesting to see what he weighs. Disregard all of the above. It looks as though Gassiev has pull out.
What a shame as Gassiev is a proper specimen of a human being. I think with with his clubbing power he could do quite a bit of damage in the heavyweight division.
Gassiev has shoulder and back problems. He's had shoulder surgery since the Usyk fight, but his team hasn't said if the injury is related to his past problem. He has or will seek medical attention in Germany.
A site called Talksport has written that Dillian Whyte's A sample tested positive to Epimethandieone and Hydroxymethandienone which are by-products of the body breaking down the anabolic steroid Dianabol. Some people are blaming the BBBofC for allowing this fight to continue, but their hands were pretty much tied. Whyte had the right to ask for the B sample to be tested, which he did. No boxer can be banned until that second test is done and an appearance before the National Anti-Doping Panel is undertaken. And UKAD do not have the power to sanction fighters. It appears that Oscar Riva's team were not notified of the pre-fight positive test. Nor were the WBC. The Colombian’s promoter Yvon Miche said they first heard of it when it was raised after the bout by the media. Eddie Hearn and Matchroom have emerged from the fiasco looking pretty lame. It would appear that they kept this stuff extremely close to the chest. I suppose there's the chance that they were scared the Rivas team would pull the plug at the last moment, as when Wilder opted out of the Povetkin fight. Who knows? Still, not notifying Rivas looks really horrible.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the WBA Super Featherweight, Super Champion Gervonta Davis again this weekend. He's a 1-20 favourite to beat WBA No 3 Nunez who's a 17-1 chance. Davis is an angry little bloke with great power, having won 20 of 21 by stoppage. They don't call him the Tank for nothing.
Does look a talent but I'd like to see him some more meaningful fights. Hopefully he's not another Adrian Broner
Another interesting fight is the clash between WBC Light Welterweight Champion Jose Carlos Ramirez and the WBO Champion Maurice Hooker. Both men are unbeaten. Hooker has only 1 stoppage in his last 6 bouts, while Ramirez has won his last 3 on points. Ramirez seems to be easier to hit, but looks to have more ping to his punches. Hooker is long, lanky and awkward. 5-6 Ramirez. 5-4 Hooker.
I can't get decent film of the Davis - Nunez bout. Most of the film is pretty crappy or banned. The best I can do is this soundless version. Davis is in the black and orange.
I wonder how many fights would have had different results with that ref. That seemed a bit premature to me. If the other boxer had gone down and taken a count of 8, the fight would have continued. Maybe not for much longer but crikey, there have been some fights with boxers in serious trouble and they came back to win
It was too premature to me as well. I like Davis as he is very slick and skilful. He sized up his opponent in the first, saw there was no real threat. And then simply moved up a gear in about 10 secs and it was over..
