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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
Undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner tested positive for two banned substances during a voluntary anti-doping test leading into her July 15 fight against Christina Linardatou, her promoter, Matchroom Boxing, announced Wednesday.
Baumgardner, who defeated former champion Linardatou by unanimous decision in her first defense of her undisputed title, released a statement saying she had tested positive for mesterolone and methenolone acetate metabolites in her prefight “A” sample on July 12, but her test after the fight July 15 and another test July 16 both came back clean.
“Two substances I’ve never heard of or used in any way,” Baumgardner said in the statement, which was posted to social media.
“To be abundantly clear, I know that I never have, never would, and never will take this or any other drug. Not only would doing so be unethical, but it would also be completely contrary to how I’ve trained my entire career.”
Matchroom Boxing said in a statement that it was informed of “adverse analytical finding” on Aug. 12 and that it would defer to “regulatory authorities … for further action and guidance as a full investigation is conducted.”
Baumgardner said she had “no intention of sitting back in silence and letting this play out.”
Matchroom Boxing said it would assist Baumgardner and her team, “affording her the appropriate due process.”
The WBC said in a statement that it launched an investigation into the findings of the test, which was administered by Drug Free Sport.
Linardatou’s promoter, Lou DiBella, said he would like to see standardized testing for big fights — which doesn’t currently exist in boxing.
Linardatou, the only person to beat Baumgardner in her professional career, voluntarily vacated her WBO junior welterweight title due to pregnancy and the July 15 fight was her first title opportunity since.
“You can imagine how [Linardatou] is feeling right now,” DiBella told ESPN. “If this is what’s it’s being reported, this is serious stuff. This is a real PED.
“… I guess people are going to investigate and then there will be ramifications. From my standpoint, I hope this is probably going to be a no-contest and I pray that the right thing will happen and Christina will get another opportunity to regain a belt that she only lost due to pregnancy.”
Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KO) is the second Matchroom fighter to test positive in an anti-doping test this month after Dillian Whyte failed a test in the lead up to his fight against Anthony Joshua.