Chris Eubank Jr. waded into the Artur Beterbiev drug testing row with both feet, backing up his former opponent, Liam Smith.
The Brighton man added his thoughts on Smith releasing the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency letter sent to all involved in his brother Callum’s fight with Beterbiev.
Eubank, who gained revenge over Smith via stoppage after his own knockout, didn’t hold back as he put Beterbiev in the ‘PED popper’ bracket despite an ‘atypical’ finding.
Chris Eubank Jr. blasts Artur Beterbiev
“Me and Liam ain’t mates by any means, but I’ve got to back him up on this one. It’s such a joke how many of these fraud fighters are getting popped for PEDs and are still able to enter a ring and fight.
“Lifetime bans for these scumbags should be mandatory,” he added.
Displaying the letter in his response to detractors of his questioning of the drug testing, Smith said: “Just for the clowns saying I’m bitter or making excuses.
“My brother lost to a great fighter at the elite level. All I’m doing is stating facts. What would any other fighter, teammate, friend, or brother do?
“Ask yourself, imagine you got this before the fight. How would you react?”
VADA letter
Inside the letter, it reads the following: “VADA Atypical Finding-5b-Androstanediol.
“This letter is to advise you that the A” sample urine specimen number 7216405 collected on Mr. Artur Beterbiev in Quebec, Canada, on December 6, 2023, by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program has been analyzed.
“VADA analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, metabolic modulators, GHRP, hormones and related substances.
“The results of this analysis are as follows: Atypical Finding. An Atypical Finding is a report from a laboratory that further investigation, potentially including collection of additional samples, is warranted.”
Beterbiev’s result wasn’t a failure, merely a recommendation for further analysis. This was done more than once in the aftermath of the finding. All tests were negative.
Only one test produced an ‘atypical’ finding, leading to Beterbiev being cleared to fight. Eubank’s assumption of guilt seems to be a slight overreaction on his part. However, that’s been the theme of the entire subject from the UK side.
Despite the UK producing the most actual fails of any country in the past few years, Beterbiev was immediately branded guilty despite no failed test whatsoever.
Promoter Yvon Michel, the WBC, or VADA won’t welcome Eubank’s words. All three stated that Beterbiev had done nothing wrong.
