November 5, 2024

Luis Ortiz flunks drug test, fight with Deontay Wilder to be canceled

Once again, another fight is going to get nixed because of failed drug tests.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before — another good fight is going to be canceled because of banned substances. ESPN has just reported that heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz has flunked a VADA drug test which will torpedo his WBC title fight with Deontay Wilder, scheduled for Nov. 4 on Showtime.

The news was confirmed by WBC president Maurico Sulaiman, who “has received confirmation from VADA that Luis Ortiz has tested positive for a banned substance.” A September 22nd sample provided by Ortiz tested positive for banned diuretics chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide, which can be used to treat hypertension, but can also be used as a masking agent for PEDs.

Ortiz, who has previously tested positive for PEDs in 2014, can elect to have his “B” sample tested on his own dime if he so chooses, but those results almost always confirm the findings of the “A” sample.

For Deontay Wilder, this is just another tough break. He’s previously had a big fight with Alexander Povetkin cancelled because Povetkin tested dirty for banned substances. Then Wilder had been lined up to take on Andrzej Wawrzyk, but he also tested positive for banned substances, which led to a late replacement of Gerald Washington in February. Now, for the third time, basically in a row, it has happened once again, leaving Wilder’s promoter Lou DiBella in disbelief.

“I’m flabbergasted and particularly crestfallen for my fighter. Deontay Wilder is a great champion and a clean champion and probably has been victimized more than any other fighter in the history of the sport.”

DiBella hasn’t yet confirmed what will happen with the Nov. 4 Showtime card, but it’s possible that WBC mandatory challenger, Bermane Stiverne, gets promoted from his undercard bout against Dominic Breazeale to the main event, in what would be a rematch with Wilder. Stiverne lost the WBC title to Wilder back in 2015 by a wide decision, and has since been busted for banned substances himself. So, yeah…

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