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According to a report from Dan Rafael at ESPN, WBO middleweight titleholder Billy Joe Saunders has failed a VADA test, coming up positive for a stimulant ahead of his October 20 defense against Demetrius Andrade, which was to air on DAZN from Boston.
Rafael says that fight is now likely to be canceled, and Saunders stripped of the belt. There is in theory time to find an opponent for Andrade still, but that whole card could end up scrapped, too.
Saunders (26-0, 12 KO) has been in the news of late, and not for anything good. The British Boxing Board of Control recently fined him £100,000 for misconduct.
The 29-year-old Saunders hasn’t fought this year, calling off a pair of fights with Martin Murray, claiming injuries. He was last seen in the ring last December in Canada, where he routed David Lemieux in an HBO-televised main event, a big win he’s completely failed to take advantage of or build from.