Ortiz v Berto II likely to be cancelled

Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor

Rematch looks doomed following steroid find

Victor Ortiz is set to miss out on his second fight with Andre Berto on June 23rd at The Staples Center in California following his opponent’s positive drug sample for the banned steroid Nandrolone.

The 25 year-old, who defeated Berto in one of the fights of 2011, is highly unlikely to get another opportunity to face Berto in the near future as an investigation is launched into how the sample failed the VADA test.

A replacement for the contest, to be broadcast on Showtime, is a possibility and will become clear in the coming hours and days, but Berto will almost certainly play no part in next months scheduled bout.

Berto, 28, faces a painstaking process to clear his name as is the seriousness of the steroid in question and it may be months before the former two-time welterweight champion gets back in the ring to fight again.

Compatriot Lamont Peterson faces a similar fate following a positive test for testosterone, although the WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion is set to re-apply for his boxing license at a Nevada hearing next month.

Both fighters’ face an uphill struggle to restore their damaged reputations as a positive test in your career seems to stick with you until the end and I only hope that it proves that both men are innocent of any wrongdoing for the sake of the sport.

WBN Remembers: "Gypsy Boy" Ernie Smith

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor (picure by boxrec.com) After almost a year and a half without one of boxing’s great journeymen, World Boxing News is looking back at the 161-fight career of Worcestershire warrior Ernie Smith, concentrating on his contribution in the ring, rather than the tragic way his life ended out of it. Smith turned professional at super-featherweight in 1998 at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, losing a six rounder against Welshman Woody Greenaway. One month later, Ernie was thrown in with an unknown prospect by the name of Gavin Rees (former world champion and current British Lightweight Champion) who he also took the distance over four rounds. The “Gypsy Boy” then managed to string together a four fight unbeaten run together in early 1999 and ended the year winning five out of his twelve contests, but by this time had already delved into the journeyman pool of boxers with a record of 5-8-1. After settling at the welterweight limit, Ernie gained a su

BBC make Luke Campbell mum and sister death gaffe

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Picture from the BBC Gabby Logan announces wrong family tragedy The BBC made a major mistake on the final showing of their Olympics Tonight show as host Gabby Logan sparked an anxious quizzing by boxer Luke Campbell’s fans as they announced the ‘loss’ of his mother and sister at a young age. Campbell, 24, took the gold medal in the men’s bantamweight final earlier in the day and was then congratulated by Logan, who announced his victory as a triumph over adversity after the Hull fighter suffered the tragedy six years ago. Unbeknown to presenter Logan, it was Welshman Freddie Evans, who also boxes in an Olympic final tomorrow, who suffered the tragedy as he lost his mother Tracy and sister Scarlett in a car accident in 2006. Fans of Olympic champion Campbell and boxing in general, immediately began handing out sympathy to the boxer after believing what was announced to be true. Logan, after an outcry on social networking website Twitte

Soccer star Tim Cahill’s cousin Jai Opetaia, 16, spars Danny Green

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor (Picture from The Brisbane Times) Youngster shares ring with IBO champ Jai Opetaia, cousin of Everton Football Club’s star soccer player Tim Cahill, is a sixteen year-old amateur fighter who is deep in preparations for the forthcoming world youth championships. Recently the youngster was given the opportunity to spar with Australia’s IBO world light-heavyweight champion Danny Green as he prepares to take on Antonio Tarver and gain valuable experience before his trip to Europe. Opetaia, who hails from Watanobbi, has already taken former world champion Anthony Mundine a few rounds in sparring and has added another world renowned boxer to the list in 38 year-old Green. The Australian amateur team departs for the championships in Kazakhstan this Tuesday and Opetaia thinks the gym time with the Aussie boxing starts will stand him in good stead as he looks to claim gold at the under 80kg category. “It feels pretty special,” Opetaia told the Central Coas

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