NEW YORK — Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver tested positive for a banned substance prior to his fight with Steve Cunningham last August, multiple sources familiar with the positive test told SI.com. It’s the second failed drug test in the last three years for Tarver, who tested positive for an anabolic steroid in 2012 before his fight with Lateef Kayode. That positive test earned Tarver a $2,500 fine and a one-year suspension from the California State Athletic Commission.
Tarver, 46, is one of the bigger names associated with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series. Advanced drug testing was used for Tarver-Cunningham, per sources. When Tarver’s ‘A’ sample tested positive, Tarver requested the ‘B’ sample be tested. That sample also tested positive, per a source.
Tarver’s positive test was for synthetic testosterone, per two sources familiar with the results.
Would love to see somebody like AJ, Parker, or even Wilder to put an end to his career in style.
Tarver is probably the most overrated fighter of the past 10-20 years, living off fame that came with beating the shell of RJJ. I hope he never gets into the HOF but fear that he will.
Counter-puncher wrote:i say dose both him and Guillermo up to the gills on PED's, load their gloves with cement, and have them beat each other to death.
Just retire already, Antonio. You're a perfectly good announcer, I'm sure you can make a fine living that way. What's the point in ruining your health doing steroids to push your 46 year old body into being a bloated fringe contender?
Last edited by jujigatame on 19 Oct 2015, 14:04, edited 1 time in total.
Counter-puncher wrote:i say dose both him and Guillermo up to the gills on PED's, load their gloves with cement, and have them beat each other to death.
I laughed really hard at this
I'm serious. Dose them up till they both weigh 250lbs and their piss glows in the dark and makes Geiger counters flicker, then make them have at it with loaded 6 ounce gloves.
Promoters, make that shit ppv and I will subscribe.
Counter-puncher wrote:i say dose both him and Guillermo up to the gills on PED's, load their gloves with cement, and have them beat each other to death.
I laughed really hard at this
I'm serious. Dose them up till they both weigh 250lbs and their piss glows in the dark and makes Geiger counters flicker, then make them have at it with loaded 6 ounce gloves.
Promoters, make that poo ppv and I will subscribe.
I seem to recall some articles saying there was no drug testing for this fight and a lot of people, including Cunningham whining about it.
It appears they were wrong about the drug testing.
Tarver is a moron.
First off, getting caught juicing already cost him one commentating gig. He was fortunate to get another one then he gets busted again.
Second, one failed drug test is more than enough proof that he doesn't know how to cheat.
If he can't even beat a urine test when he knows the exact date of said test why would he think he could beat the advanced testing they allegedly used in this fight?
He's been caught twice and didn't win either fight. Unless he decides to start taking fights outside of America this should be the end of his career inside the ring.
Being around Sly, Mr. HGH and Testosterone, I'm sure put some lovely thoughts in his head. Newsflash to Tarver....Sly doesnt need to compete and pass testing, he just needs to look good.
johnswan1 wrote:Tarver has come out and denied that he took any banned substance. His defense is that they must have mixed his sample up with somebody else's.
What a poor victimised diddums he is, having all those nasty drug-testing people out to ruin his reputation & fabricating multiple failed drug tests (with multiple substances, obviously just for variety!).
Where's big lennox from the British Scene? I'm sure he'd defend Tarver (if Tarver was from Sheffield, like).
johnswan1 wrote:Tarver has come out and denied that he took any banned substance. His defense is that they must have mixed his sample up with somebody else's.
... this response cames as a huge surprise, no doubt..
If boxing doesn't want to continue to lose credibility for allowing guys to compete after getting caught, they need to make much stiffer penalties, or get rid of the rules and make it a PED free for all. Not a logical alternative, but it is getting to be a joke the way it is. Make it a lifetime ban the second time they are caught. They should at least make it a mandatory loss for the dirty guy and erase the loss for the clean guy and give him the win by DQ.
johnswan1 wrote:Would love to see somebody like AJ, Parker, or even Wilder to put an end to his career in style.
Tarver is probably the most overrated fighter of the past 10-20 years, living off fame that came with beating the shell of RJJ. I hope he never gets into the HOF but fear that he will.
A little harsh that mate. Maybe you could argue that in hindsight after heavyweight. But he was the first to legitimately beat RJJ and was a big underdog in at least the first two. Hell imo he was 3/3 against RJJ. Im no Tarver fanboy but thats the way I see it. For what its worth I kind of agree with the rest of the post.
this response cames as a huge surprise, no doubt..