Tag: World Boxing Council

Devin Haney responds to criticism: ‘I’m not racist and I never will be a racist’

Devin Haney responded to criticism of his ‘white boy’ comment by Tweeting, ‘I’m not racist and I never will be a racist.’

Devin Haney has taken criticism over his “white boy” comments seriously.

The unbeaten was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko, the fighter many believe is the No. 1 fighter in the world pound-for-pound.

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” Haney said. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me, I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

Haney, who is black, was criticized on social media for injecting race into the otherwise typical trash-talk conversations.

The 21-year-old responded with two Tweets.

He wrote in the first: “I’m not racist and I never will be a racist. I’m chasing greatness.

And in the second: “I just had a very positive conversation with Mauricio Sulaiman, president of the WBC, and confirmed to him directly my commitment to be a role model and my absolute rejection of discrimination of any kind.” Sulaiman “liked” the second Tweet.

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

Devin Haney: ‘I will never lose to a white boy in my life’

Devin Haney took trash talk with Vasiliy Lomachenko to the next level when he said ‘I’ll never lose to a white boy in my life.’

Devin Haney took trash talk with Vasiliy Lomachenko to the next level.

Haney, the unbeaten lightweight, was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing the fighter many believe is No. 1 pound-for-pound.

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” Haney said. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me, I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

Haney, who is black, and Lomachenko, who is white, have also exchanged barbs on Instagram but their rivalry probably will be limited to words until some things are sorted out.

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

 

Alejandra Jimenez allegedly tests positive for banned substance

A sample taken from Alejandra Jimenez the day before she beat Franchon Crews-Dezurn allegedly tested positive for a banned substance.

Alejandra Jimenez made a splash by outpointing Franchon Crews-Dezurn to win two titles on Jan. 11. Now the victory could amount to nothing.

A sample taken from Jimenez the day before the fight tested positive for a banned substance, according to the World Boxing Council, which sanctioned the bout.

The banned substance wasn’t identified.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman issued the following statement:

“The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has notified the WBC that an “A” Sample collected on January 10 from WBC Female Super Middleweight World Champion Alejandra Jimenez has yielded an adverse finding for a banned substance under the WBC Clean Boxing Program. The WBC will follow its customary protocol by, among other steps, affording Champion Jimenez the opportunity to witness the opening of the “B” Sample, or send a representative to do so.

“The WBC will conduct an in-depth investigation of the circumstances that led to the adverse finding. Champion Alejandra Jimenez will receive the due process the WBC Clean Boxing Protocol provides. As it is customary in similar situations, the WBC will provide additional information as the investigative and adjudicative process moves forward.”

Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya, who handles Crews-Dezurn and promoted the fight, issued this statement:

“It is extremely unfortunate to learn that WBC and WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Alejandra Jimenez (13-0-1, 9 KOs) has tested positive for banned substances after her title fight with Franchon Crews-Dezurn (6-2, 2 KOs) on January 11. As Franchon’s promoter, we are incredibly disappointed for her as she worked incredibly hard to defend her titles.  However, our job is to ensure the safety of our fighters both inside and outside of the ring. Thus, we have always insisted and supported testing through the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) for all of our world championship fights. Jimenez’s fight against Franchon Crews-Dezurn is no exception. Now our job is to find justice for Franchon by working closely with the WBC and the WBO in order to re-instate her as a world champion.”

Crews-Dezurn’s trainer, Barry Hunter, told ESPN that he would like the fighters to meet again.

“I would still like to fight her again,” Hunter said. “I definitely think Franchon was the better fighter. I thought Jimenez’s advantage was that she was in better shape. Now with this coming out, and if this stands to be true, that’s a whole ‘nother ballgame.”

WBC lifts suspension of Dillian Whyte, following lead of UKAD

The WBC has followed the lead of UK Anti-Doping by lifting its suspension of Dillian Whyte and making him its mandatory challenger.

An anti-doping charge against Dillian Whyte has been dropped in a move that puts the heavyweight in line for a mandatory shot at the winner of the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury rematch in February.

The World Boxing Council announced that it had lifted its provisional suspension of the 31-year-old Whyte, who was cleared of wrongdoing by UK Anti-Doping five days ago.

Whyte (27-1,18 KOs), who outpointed Mariusz Wach on Saturday on the Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Jr. undercard in Saudi Arabia, tested for what was called “an adverse finding” in June. According to the UKAD, the test sample was contaminated.

“Based on limited but detailed research and information gathering, including the WBC’s consultation with two independent experts, the WBC found that there was no sufficient or conclusive evidence that Whyte intentionally, or even knowingly, ingested a banned substance with the purpose of enhancing his performance in any fashion,’’ the WBC said in a statement.

The WBC concluded the statement, saying:  “Whyte shall become the Mandatory Challenger of the division immediately after Champion Deontay Wilder’s mandatory defense against current Mandatory Challenger Tyson Fury.”