Wilder, Arreola pass drug tests

By Boxing News - 07/23/2016 - Comments

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Eric Baldwin: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) and Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (36-6-1, 31 KOs) passed their drug tests from their July 16 fight at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. Both fighters’ urine tests came up negative in VADA’s pre and post-fight tests for drugs, according to Dan Rafael.

Wilder, 6’7”, scored an 8th round stoppage after Arreola failed to come out for the 9th round. Arreola’s left eye was nearly closed and he’d suffered a cut over his right eye. His left was the bigger problem because he couldn’t see out of it to track Wilder’s powerful jab.

The fight proved to be costly one for the 30-year-old “Bronze Bomber” Wilder, as he broke his right hand and tore his right bicep. Last Thursday on July 21, Wilder had successful hand surgery to repair the problem. Wilder’s next surgery will be on his right biceps.

Per Alabama commission: Wilder and Arreola drug tests are back and both were negative in all VADA pre- and post-fight tests, blood & urine,” said Dan Rafael on his Twitter.

Arreola gave it his best shot against Wilder, but he wasn’t able to get past his long jab. Wilder knocked Arreola down in the 4th round with a hard right hand. This is the round that Wilder injured his right hand and bicep. Arreola was wary from that point on to try and attack Wilder. Arreola didn’t realize that Wilder could no longer use his right hand. Had Arreola known that, he might have been able to put more pressure on him. Arreola’s hand speed and slow feet limited what he could do. If he was able to cut off the ring and throw faster punches, he would have had Wilder in trouble.

Wilder won’t be fighting again until 2017. He’s not sure who his next opponent will be. The World Boxing Council still needs to make a decision on whether to keep Alexander Povetkin as Wilder’s mandatory challenger or to replace him with another contender.

Povetkin tested positive for the banned drug Meldonium this year. If the WBC does choose to remove Povetkin as the No.1 contender, then former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne would be the next highest ranked contender that could be slipped into the No.1 spot. Stiverne lost to Wilder by a 12 round decision last year.