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Super featherweight titleholder Jamel Herring was supposed to be headlining in last night’s ESPN main event, but ended up having to be pulled from the scheduled card (for what was the second time) due to testing positive for coronavirus. That however, may have turned out to have been a false positive as Herring released a test he took just yesterday.
Well... I just got my COVID-19 test results from YESTERDAY back, doing the same oral swab test I did on the 12th. I’ll just leave this here. pic.twitter.com/6FhQfmKBNr
— Jamel Herring (@JamelHerring) July 15, 2020
That’s obviously a bummer for Herring because not only was he hoping to get back in action, but he also didn’t get paid and will have to wait for a rescheduled fight being targeted for next month. Even still, Herring has been keeping a positive attitude about the whole situation, not blaming anybody for what transpired.
It’s not the commissions fault. Some of these tests just aren’t 100% accurate. Did I have the virus? Yes! but after two weeks from symptoms, I provided a negative test for travel. Top Rank and company did everything in their power to save the fight in the end. https://t.co/y8MJWAot3s
— Jamel Herring (@JamelHerring) July 15, 2020
Mikaela Mayer, who wound up headlining last night’s show, went through the same situation last month, and at the time expressed her frustrations by the ‘cutthroat’ testing policies. In the end, though, better safe than sorry as this virus is just too serious to be taking unnecessary chances. This likely also won’t be the last time we run into a situation like this.