The VADA drug testing letter sent out to promoters and teams of Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith has been made public following the contest.
Beterbiev won via a seventh-round stoppage over Smith, but not without some questions from Smith’s promoter during the build-up.
Eddie Hearn wanted the media to make a big deal of an ‘atypical’ finding in Beterbiev’s pre-fight drug test. However, many criticized Hearn, including Beterbiev and his promoter, for complaining about what is essentially not a failure.
A back-and-forth ensued on social media before Beterbiev settled things in the ring via a devastating performance.
During the aftermath, a portion of Smith’s team, ex-stablemate, and friend Tony Bellew, again made headlines for defending ‘Mundo’ and asking for further scrutiny of Beterbiev.
Artur Beterbiev’s VADA drug test letter
Having taken fire for taking his brother’s side, Liam Smith decided to air his views. He also was one of those who shared the letter sent out by VADA.
“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 any other fighter, teammate, friend, brother would do.
“Ask yourself, Imagine you got this before the fight. How would you react?”
Part of the letter, dated January 4, reads: “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 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.”
Further testing negative
Beterbiev was subsequently subjected to further testing, which all came back negative.
The document is a way of having transparency that could provoke a further reaction to Beterbiev. However, such was the domination of the performance that trainer Dominic Ingle defended the light-heavyweight champion.
“There is not enough conclusive evidence to say that doping more than likely happened because of an intense training session,” Ingle told Boxing King Media.
“So it does make me smile when I see people like Tony Bellew and Eddie Hearn jumping all over it. They are trying to make out that all of a sudden, Beterbiev has become a beast overnight.
“He has been a beast for the past twenty years,” he added.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
