Teper’s continued inclusion, as high as number three in the March rankings, had been questioned by previous opponent David Price and his trainer David Coldwell this week, leading WBN to ask the IBF to clarify their reasoning.
As the German was found to have failed two drugs tests either side of defeating Price for the European title in July 2015, Teper was subsequently banned by the EBU for two years, although the IBF didn’t recognise this suspension at the time.
Now that the German Commission (BDB) has relayed information regarding their own Teper ban lasting until July this year, the IBF have acted accordingly to drop the fighter at the earliest opportunity.
“We were never informed by the EBU about this suspension but the EBU is a private organization and I really don’t know how much power or legal authority they have to suspend a fighter,” IBF Ratings Chairman Anibal Miramontes exclusively told World Boxing News on Tuesday.
“The German commission (BDB) informed me of Teper’s suspension in December 2015, then I received another e-mail saying ‘…the boxer is to be deemed as not suspended by our federation and the issue continues to be pending.’
“Yesterday, I received another e-mail from the BDB confirming that Teper has been suspended until July 17, 2016. Because there are some legal disputes the suspension is, according to the BDB, ‘provisional’ at this stage.
“Under the circumstances of this, Teper will be removed from the upcoming IBF ratings,” he added.
The IBF’s decision will come as welcome news to Price and Coldwell and WBN understands that the Briton’s record will have the bout changed to a no-contest.
