Ahead of a defense of the WBA super lightweight championship, a boxer accused of failing a drug test looked like a middleweight.
That’s the view from outside [in the image above] as Alberto Puello stands on the verge of being stripped of his title. The Dominican southpaw was due to fight Rolando Romero in Las Vegas on May 13 at The Cosmopolitan.
Alberto Puello ‘looked like a middleweight’
Commenting, one observer questioned why Puello would need to take anything untoward.
“Look at the size difference. The one on the right [Alberto Puello] is who Rolly was supposed to fight. The one on the left is the 160-pound WBC interim champ.
“What did you need performance enhancing drugs for?”
Puello vs Romero is since scrapped from boxing schedules as a formal decision is set to be made public. The World Boxing Association and President Gilberto Mendoza have not officially commented on the situation.
However, talk has turned to Ismael Barroso, the WBA ‘gold champion’ [whatever that is] and number one contender, taking Puello’s place.
Romero and Barroso will battle it out for the title vacated when Josh Taylor lost to Jack Catterall [in all but reality]. Confirmation is expected from Premier Boxing Champions that the fight will be a straight swap as tickets remain available for the clash at The Chelsea Ballroom.
A suspension for Puello is also on the cards, which could be up to two years for his misdemeanor.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency is a notorious stickler for handing out punishments, as stated in its philosophy.
“Professional athletes will volunteer to be subject to unannounced testing at any time during the eight weeks before a scheduled fight.
VADA Testing
“An agreement to participate will require fighters to officially inform us of their daily whereabouts so that they can be tested per the program.
“VADA has arranged for a World Anti-Doping Agency-approved laboratory to conduct the tests. Also, an internationally-recognized anti-doping group to collect the specimens and maintain the chain of custody,” they state.
As argued in the past few weeks, VADA is supposed to have confidentiality for participants due to the Conor Benn farce.
“VADA will have confidential, professional counseling and referral services available to athletes that are already at risk of PED use/
“Boxing and mixed martial arts can be extremely dangerous sports. An athlete takes life into their hands each time they enter the ring or spar.
“Besides contributing to unfair advantage and misrepresentation to the public that admires and follows these athletes, the intrinsic dangers are astronomically higher to the opponent and the challenger when PED use is involved.
“VADA will be a way to make these sports safer when the athletes begin and retire from their career,” VADA concludes.
