The October 20th title fight between Billy Joe Saunders and Demtrius Andrade looks likely to be cancelled.
It is a dark day for a lot of figures in the fight world following WBO middleweight titleholder Billy Joe Saunders’s failed drug test. The failure, as first reported by ESPN’s Dan Rafael, was for oxilofrine in a VADA administered test. Oxilofrine is a stimulant that has never been approved for use in America. The chief potential benefit for abusing it would be increased endurance. Saunders has been in training for his scheduled October 20th defense on DAZN against Demetrius Andrade, but that seems to be extremely likely to happen now.
In fact, it is highly probable that not only will that contest be canceled, but that Billy Joe Saunders will be stripped of his middleweight title altogether. The WBO would then need to put together a battle for the newly vacant belt, presumably one involving Demetrius Andrade. Could that come together in time for the October 20th show? It isn’t impossible, but I wouldn’t put my money on it.
There is a long list of losers in this one. Of course Saunders and his promoter Frank Warren have lost out on a big fight title defense and a great deal of the momentum generated after Billy Joe’s career best performance over David Lemieux. Matchroom Boxing and DAZN also have potentially lost a main event to an upcoming card very early in the service’s American life when it needs to impress the most. Demetrius Andrade may still get his title shot, but it won’t be as high profile as this one in all likelihood. The top of the WBO middleweight rankings isn’t all that impressive in terms of name value.
Billy Joe Saunders, you have failed this sport.
