WBC RULING REGARDING BERMANE STIVERNE’S
WBC CPB ADVERSE FINDING
ISSUED BY WBC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
November 14, 2016
I. ADVERSE FINDING
On November 11, 2016 VADA notified the WBC that Bermane Stiverne’s anti-doping test taken from his November 4, 2016 sample (the “Test”) pursuant to the WBC Clean Boxing Program (“CPB”) yielded an adverse finding for the banned substance methylhexaneamine (also known as dimethyamylamine or “DMAA”).
The final two months of 2016 are shaping up to be very eventful in boxing, perhaps making up for what has generally been viewed as a pretty lacklustre year overall. In particular, the heavyweight division has been slow and lacking in big fights, due of course to the unfortunate circumstances with troubled, now former champ Tyson Fury.
But now, with interesting title fights such as Lucas Browne-Shannon Briggs, Joseph Parker-Andy Ruiz Jnr and Wladimir Klitschko-Anthony Joshua either set or in the works (the Joshua-Klitschko fight pencilled in for next March – providing AJ beats Eric Molina on December 10, this being an interesting second defence for the reigning IBF champ) the division is moving again.
As fight fans have probably read by now, Alexander Povetkin’s team won the purse bid for the clash for the vacant interim WBC title, against Bermane Stiverne. This, most people think, means the fight will almost certainly be staged somewhere in Russia. We should have seen “real” WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder face Povetkin in Russia this summer, only for the fight to fall apart due to well-documented and disappointing reasons.
Now, with an injured Wilder awaiting the Povetkin-Stiverne winner, former WBC boss “B-Ware” faces the daunting task of taking the long trip to Russia to face Povetkin. It could very well be a big ask of Stiverne, now aged 37 (he’ll turn 38 in November) to come home with the interim version of his former belt.
A purse offer was held today in New York for the WBC heavyweight interim championship bout between Alexander Povetkin and Bermane Stiverne. The winning promoter was World of Boxing with a bid of $3,165,000 dollars.
The purse offer for the mandatory defense of WBC heavyweight silver champion Johann Duhaupas against Carlos Takam was also held today in New York. The winning promoter was OPI2000, Salvatore and Christian Cherchi, with a bid of $235,000 dollars.
Former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne is already in training camp, working ahead of a hoped for shot at IBF heavyweight ruler Anthony Joshua at the end of the year. Joshua has spoken of wanting to get a second voluntary title defence in before moving on to face his mandatory, Joseph Parker, early next year. And Joshua said he would be interested in fighting Stiverne, as he feels the fight would have a good chance of going into the later rounds, where A.J is keen to show his stamina (he has of course not yet gone past the 7th-round as a pro).
IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua would like to have another fight this year, before facing his mandatory challenger Joseph Parker early on next year. Joshua and his team must start negotiations with Team-Parker by November 9, with the fight likely to take place around March time, but Joshua has spoken of wanting to get another voluntary defence in first, in November or December. And Matchroom chairman Barry Hearn told Sky Sports he feels A.J will indeed slot one more fight in before taking on Parker.
(Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME) LAS VEGAS (Nov. 14, 2015) – Undefeated super welterweight prospect Jarrett Hurd handed Frank Galarza the first loss of his career with a sixth round TKO in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on Saturday from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.
Galarza (17-1-2, 11 KOs), who was fighting for his fourth time on ShoBox and favored against the relatively unknown Hurd, became the 136th fighter to suffer his first loss on the prospect developmental series. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: http://s.sho.com/1NTILdM
Former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-2-1, 21ko) is finally set to return to the ring, squaring off against American journeyman Derric Rossy (30-10, 14ko) on November 14 in Las Vegas.
The fight will act as the chief support to WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr’s title defence against Oscar Escandon, and is the first outing for the Haitian-Canadian since dropping his WBC trinket back in January to current holder, Deontay Wilder.
Main Event Becomes The Highest Rated Bout On Any Premium Network In The Past Year;
The Three-Fight Telecast Draws The Highest Rating on SHOWTIME® In More Than Two Years;
All Three Fights On The Live Telecast Rank In The Top-20 Most Watched Bouts On Record For The Network
SHOWTIME Sports garnered a record audience for Saturday’s 2015 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING premiere telecast headlined by newly minted WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder in his breakout win over Bermane Stiverne. The main event ranks as the highest-rated fight on any premium network in the past 12 months while the entire three-fight telecast becomes the highest rated on SHOWTIME in more than two years. The Jan. 17 telecast attracted the second largest audience since 2004* behind the Miguel Cotto vs. Austin Trout event from Dec. 2012. (*since Nielsen began to separately measure premium television multiplex channels)
Two nights after being hospitalized following his loss to unbeaten challenger Deontay Wilder on SHOWTIME® from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, former WBC Heavyweight Champion Bermane Stiverne, his Hall of Fame promoter, Don King, and his trainer, Don House, hosted a press conference late today at the MGM Grand.
Here’s what they had to say:
PROMOTER DON KING
“We called this press conference because the Bermane we saw on Saturday night was not the Bermane we all know. Deontay Wilder did a very good job; this is not a press conference for excuses, it is for fact. The doctors at the hospital of the UMC said that he had a severe case of dehydration. His muscles were not working and they thought he had blood in his urine, so they took some tests and held him in the hospital until this morning.