BoxRec

Alexander Besputin is currently in the hot seat after a post-fight drug test from his November 30 win over Radzhab Butaev showed an adverse finding of the banned substance Ligandrol, identified as LGD-4033. The fight-which streamed live on DAZN from Casino de Monte Carlo Salle Medecin in Monte Carlo, Monaco—came with the World Boxing Association (WBA) secondary welterweight title at stake, with Besputin claiming a 12-round decision in a furiously paced contest between unbeaten Russian contenders.

Drug testing administered by the Federation Monegasque de Boxe (Monaco Boxing Federation) returned a positive sample for Besputin. Representatives for both boxers were formally notified in a letter sent by the Monaco commission, a copy of which has been obtained by BS.com.

Ligandrol is on a number of banned substance lists, including the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The supplement is classified as a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) used as “a pharmaceutical treatment for muscle wasting and weakness associated with aging” but is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Nor is it permitted for use in any capacity under WADA code which deems the product “prohibited under class S1.2 Other Anabolic Agents on the WADA Prohibited List. LGD-4033, and all SARMs, are prohibited at all times for all athletes, both in and out-of-competition.”

It also puts the positioning of the matchup in a different light.

The fight was originally targeted to take place on an October show in Philadelphia which was promoted by Top Rank—who guides the career of Besputin along with manager Egis Klimas—but defaulted to a purse bid hearing when the two camps were unable to come to terms on key items including random drug testing. Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn won the purse bid and thus the rights to the secondary title fight, which were part of his annual show in Monaco.

Butaev (12-1, 9KOs) is guided by manager Vadim Kornilov, who has long been an advocate for random drug testing and whose fighters regularly employ the services of Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency. Naturally, such testing was requested by Butaev but—according to the boxer himself—which was met with resistance.

“I am not surprised at all at hearing this news, and that's why I was never respectful of him as an athlete or as a person," claims Butaev, a former amateur standout from Russia now based out of Brooklyn, New York. “Ahead of the fight my team insisted on VADA testing while he and his team were denying it all along, and even after I agreed to pay for both sides, including his costs, he was very reluctant.

“After finally enrolling he attempted to ignore the requests from VADA for two weeks for his whereabouts to be tested. This is a disgrace and is disrespectful to the sport of boxing. All I have been wanting is a rematch since the final bell of the first fight. Now with a level playing field I'm even more confident in a victory!”

Representatives from the World Boxing Association have informed BS.com that the matter is being looked into and with the cooperation of Besputin’s team.

“The boxer has made a decision to open the B-Sample of his doping test.”

Efforts to reach Besputin’s team have gone unreturned as this goes to publish. However, in an interview with Russian publication TASS, the boxer is claiming the substance was unintentionally ingested through food consumption and that his legal team is working with the WBA and the Monaco commission to have the matter resolved.

“Lawyers are currently working on this issue,” said Besputin. “We are confident in ourselves and I have never consumed nothing from the list of the banned substances. I am puzzled myself.... where did it all come from and I am shocked, but my conscience is clean.”

Should the ruling stand and the title be vacated, Butaev would be first in line to challenge for the belt against the highest-rated available contender.

Yordenis Ugas is currently the mandatory challenger, and interestingly was ordered to begin negotiations with Besputin only to instead take an interim fight as his team claimed Besputin was injured. As this goes to publish, Ugas is due to face California’s Mike Dallas atop the February 1 edition of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FS1 live from Biloxi, Mississippi.

Source: Jake Donovan

Did anyone here know he failed a drugs test?

No, I imagine it was confidential (much like UKAD).

BS has yet another scoop, looks like they have found their niche in the market.

Never heard of a B sample that contradicted the A. I believe it has never happened....So...

Besputin Awaits B-Sample Outcome, Requests More Information

According to World Boxing Association (WBA) "regular" welterweight champion Alexander Besputin, he has requested additional information from the Voluntary Anti Doping Association (VADA) regarding his doping test that came up positive.

On December 1, 2019, Besputin won the WBA championship belt, beating compatriot Rajab Butaev on points by unanimous decision in the main event of a Matchroom card that was staged in Monaco. His doping test in the aftermath of the title fight showed a positive result for a banned substance.

“Firstly, we are waiting for decryption from VADA of the first sample. The letter from them did not say 'failure,' it was written that it was 'abnormal.' Secondly, we are waiting for the examination of the B-sample," said the athlete to Tass.

The boxer's test came up positive for traces of ligandrol, which helps increase muscle mass.

When the positive test came down, the boxer had been ordered to make a mandatory defense against Yordenis Ugas, who returns this Saturday night in a stay-busy fight against Mike Dallas.

On the record of the 28-year-old Besputin are 14 victories (9 by knockout) and not a single defeat in the professional ring. During his amateur career, he became the champion of Russia and Europe, the silver medalist of the European Games, and reached the quarter-finals at the World Championships. In October 2015, he decided to become a professional and signed a contract with Las Vegas based promotional company Top Rank.

His B sample may well disappear..

Opening of B-Sample is Delayed Due to Coronavirus

According to WBA (World Boxing Association) "regular" welterweight world champion Alexander Besputin, the opening of the B-sample of his doping test - scheduled for March 17 at an anti-doping laboratory in Paris - was cancelled due to the coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

Besputin’s B-sample was initially planned to be opened on March 3, but due to various reasons the procedure had been rescheduled for March 17.

"The opening of the doping sample has been cancelled due to the current global situation," Besputin said to tass.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑18 Mar 2020, 06:06 Opening of B-Sample is Delayed Due to Coronavirus

According to WBA (World Boxing Association) "regular" welterweight world champion Alexander Besputin, the opening of the B-sample of his doping test - scheduled for March 17 at an anti-doping laboratory in Paris - was cancelled due to the coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

Besputin’s B-sample was initially planned to be opened on March 3, but due to various reasons the procedure had been rescheduled for March 17.

"The opening of the doping sample has been cancelled due to the current global situation," Besputin said to tass.

Cancelled, not postponed, meaning he's escaped punishment (since due process cannot be followed), similar to the Manuel Charr situation I guess.

Press Release - Butaev Reacts To Besputin's 'B' Sample Coming Back Positive

Said Butaev, “As I said previously, I'm not surprised. First of all, my manager and my team always insist on VADA testing. It is a standard procedure for a world title fight. Since 2013, starting with most of the fights that our teammate Ruslan Provodnikov participated in and most other fights of significance involving boxers from our team we always insisted upon mandatory anti-doping testing. This drug that was in his system, has been banned by all doping agencies in the world and has never been legal.”

“After consultations with several doctors and pharmaceutical specialists in the states, we were made clear what this drug was and how it was very difficult to obtain and that it is usually used by athletes to significantly increase stamina, endurance, and strength during a competition or training. And the fact that this substance was found in a urine test is enough to know that this was not consumed by mistake in training camp in advance.”

Continued Butaev, “For me, this is now in the past, and even though this is not pleasant, all I think about now is taking back what’s mine and becoming a real champion, a champion that knows that he got his world title in a fair and honest competition of boxing, man vs. man!”

“From the moment Besputin refused to start VADA testing for weeks before the bout, even after I paid all the fees for him and myself, he still did not want to sign and return the VADA paperwork, I believe that whatever he and his team were hiding literally helped him survive our fight, but justice has triumphed.”

“Now I am primarily concerned about having my next fight for the world title. I consider it very inappropriate to disrespect the sport of boxing, the fans, my team and his own team and I do not see any excuses. I hope that the WBA will issue their resolution on this situation and announce my opponent for the world title soon and I am ready to go, I will fight anybody, it doesn’t matter to me, I just want my fair and clean chance to achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a world champion.”

Stated manager Vadim Kornilov, “Radzhab’s dream is to become a world champion and on a level playing field there is no doubt that he can beat anybody in the division. The next step is to work through the procedures with the WBA and await Radzhab’s immediate fight with the top-rated contender for the WBA World Title.”

Grant wrote: ↑15 Jan 2020, 22:07 Never heard of a B sample that contradicted the A. I believe it has never happened....So...

Its impossible unless there is fraud by the tester.

Ugas vs. Ramos Ordered For Vacant WBA "Regular" Welterweight Title; Winner To Face Butaev

More than seven months after being cheated in the ring, Radzhab Butaev is once again denied just due in his bid to become a welterweight titlist.

Measures taken by the World Boxing Association (WBA) to free up its secondary version of the welterweight title appeared to have favored the Russian contender. Included among the list of activities during the 99th annual WBA convention was the sanctioning body electing to strip Alexander Besputin (14*-0, 9KOs) of its “Regular” title. The unbeaten Russian scored a narrow win over Butaev in their vacant title fight last November, but tested positive for the banned substance Ligandrol.

The logical next step would have been for Butaev to return to his place in the welterweight rankings prior to the tainted title fight (rated number two at the time), thus facing the next highest ranked contender for the vacant strap.

Instead, it will be Yordenis Ugas (25-4, 12KOs)—the sanctioning body’s number-one contender—who will vie for the “Regular” title. The 33-year old Cuban will face Abel Ramos (26-3-2, 20KOs) of Casa Grande, Arizona for the vacant strap, with Butaev designated as the mandatory challenger in waiting to face the winner.

Ugas and Ramos both fighter under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner.

Ramos has won eight straight fights, including a literal last-second stoppage of Bryant Perrella this past February in Nashville, Tennessee. Ramos was trailing on all three scorecards heading into the 10th and final round of their Fox-televised clash before scoring two late knockdowns, the latter of the two rendering Perrella unable to continue in the eyes of veteran referee Jack Reiss.

Ugas has won two straight since a narrow defeat to then-WBC welterweight titlist Shawn Porter last March in Carson, California. The defeat to Porter snapped an eight-fight win streak largely spent wreaking havoc upon PBC welterweight prospects since returning to the sport in 2016 following a two-year absence.

A 12-round near shutout of then-unbeaten Omar Figueroa last July placed Ugas back in contention, having since marked time with a 7th round stoppage of Mike Dallas Jr. this past February in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Butaev (12-1*, 9KOs) has not fought since the aforementioned loss to his disgraced countryman.