As we mentioned earlier, Antonio Tarver failed his post-fight California commission drug test for his June 2 draw with Lateef Kayode. At the time, it wasn't clear what banned substance he tested positive for. Now, it's clear. Tarver tested positive for the steroid drostanolone.
Via his Twitter account, Tarver claimed that it's a false positive:
"Today's news of a false positive caught me as well as my family and supporters by surprise, I apologize for the embarressment it caused. ... I'll appeal and submit to the California Commission everything that I've consume(d) prior to June 2 that could (have) caused this honest mistake."
Tarver has been suspended by the California commission, and received a fairly minor fine as well. He does have the opportunity to appeal, and if his B sample were to come back negative, the commission would have to decide what to do from there.
Call me crazy, but until that B sample comes back, I'm figuring guilty until proven innocent. That's just kind of how it goes with this stuff. This is the third failed drug test -- two caught by VADA, one by a state commission -- in the last two months or so. It's getting hard to buy that everyone's making mistakes.
The Ring says it's "unclear" whether or not Tarver will work the Ortiz vs Lopez show tomorrow night. I have to guess he will not.