Billy Joe Saunders ready to appeal to Supreme Court over canceled fight

By Boxing News - 10/11/2018 - Comments

Image: Billy Joe Saunders ready to appeal to Supreme Court over canceled fight

By Mike Smith: Billy Joe Saunders’ promoter Frank Warren says his fighter is going to appeal to the supreme court if needed after the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission denied him his boxing license to fight Demetrius Andrade after he tested positive for the banned performance enhancing drug oxilofrine.

The drug is one of the banned drugs on VADA’s list, which is what the Massachusetts Commission apparently is basing their decision to deny the 29-year-old Saunders his boxing license.

Following the Massachusetts Commission’s decision to not grant Saunders his boxing license to fight in the state, he vacated his WBO middleweight title. Warren says Saunders will sue the Massachusetts Commission for lost wages, as he was supposed to be making $2.3 million for the fight against Andrade. However, it’s unclear whether the lawsuit will be successful in the U.S due to the drug that Saunders tested positive for was reportedly one of the banned substances on VADA’s list.

”Massachusetts have not even applied their own disciplinary regulations correctly, so obviously Bill will appeal and the appeal will go to the supreme court,” Warren said to talksport.com about Saunders. ”He will be suing them for lost earnings. The tests that they are referring to took place in August, but since then Bill has had subsequent tests which have come back negative.”

Warren doesn’t say which supreme court he’s talking about in terms of Saunders appealing to the supreme court. It’s hard to imagine the supreme court in the United States bothering with Saunders’ positive test for oxilofrine. A case like this isn’t likely to make it that far.

“VADA bans everything. They are not recognized in Great Britain, they are not recognized by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and they are not recognized by the British Boxing Board of Control,” Warren said.

Saunders vs. Andrade was supposed to take place at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, not in Great Britain. Matchroom Boxing USA promoter Eddie Hearn wanted the Saunders-Andrade fight to take place in the U.S. If Hearn had taken the fight in the UK, maybe things would have been different but it is what it is. Oxilofrine isn’t one of the banned substances out of competition in the UK with the UKAD. Unfortunately, Saunders vs. Andrade was scheduled to take place in the U.S, as that’ where Hearn wanted it. As such, the Massachusetts opted not to give Saunders his boxing license after he tested positive for the banned drug oxilofrine. Saunders has since been replaced by Walter Kautondokwa, who Hearn had on standby after he learned of Saunders’ positive test. It’s unknown how much money Kautondokwa will be getting for the fight.

In the meantime, the World Boxing Organization are looking to potentially suspend Saunders for six months due to his positive test for the banned drug oxilofrine. If the WBO suspends Saunders, he’ll be out of action for the next six months.

A lot of boxing fans were looking forward to seeing Saunders vs. Andrade battle it out on October 20. It’s a pity the fight won’t be happening.