Read the following article if you really want to become angry. Especially angering is the last few paragraphs, citing "roid rage".
Toney loses heavyweight title after testing positive for steroids
NEW YORK, May 12 (AFP) - James Toney tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone and was stripped here Wednesday of the victory that made him the World Boxing Association heavyweight champion.
The New York State Athletic Commission ruled that Toney's unanimous 12-round decision over Puerto Rico's John Ruiz here on April 30 is now officially a "no decision" because of Toney's positive post-fight doping test.
Toney was also fined 10,000 dollars and banned from fighting for 90 days. He will lose his crown to Ruiz and will be unable to fight for the WBA heavyweight crown again for two years, although he could seek other heavyweight crowns.
Dan Goossen, promoter for the 36-year-old American fighter, confirmed that Toney tested positive for nandrolone and that there would be no appeal of the punishments.
Goossen claimed medications Toney took to treat injuries that wiped out two prior fights led to the positive test.
"Toney received medical treatment for recovery from his biceps and triceps surgery last year," Goossen said. "His doctor has stated that the combination of medications used to control the inflammation and tissue growth caused the positive test result."
The commission was not buying the story, noting that Toney made no effort to provide such documentation of medical treatments before the fight or dope test.
"Toney did not submit any documents regarding his medical history prior to the weigh-in," commission chairman Ron Scott Stevens said. "There would be no reason for us to know he would violate our substance-abuse policy."
Toney denied that he has ever taken any performance-enhancing substance.
"I've never used any illegal substances to prepare myself for a fight," Toney said. "Being accused of taking performance enchancing substances is an insult to me. I don't do drugs. Period."
With Don King as his promoter, Toney has a solid chance of fighting for the International Boxing Federation or World Boxing Organization crowns. Those, like the WBA crown, are all in the hands of fighters promoted by King.
Toney's steroid positive comes two weeks after US lawmakers conducted a hearing into steroids in American football and just days after they gave preliminary approval to forming an oversight committee to regulate boxing.
New York state rules call for the fight to be declared no contest with any decision regarding possession of a title to be made by the sanctioning body.
WBA rules require the title to revert to the original champion if a triumphant challenger fails of a doping test, provided the original champion is still an active fighter.
So Ruiz - who retired after the fight but said two days ago he would fight again - reclaims the WBA crown and a dubious place among champions.
"We're glad the truth has come out and Johnny hasn't lost his championship," Ruiz lawyer Anthony Cardinale said.
Toney looked overweight but not bulked up but became only the third former middleweight champion in boxing history to claim a heavyweight crown, following compatriot Roy Jones and 1890s fighter Bob Fitzsimmons.
Norman Stone, Ruiz's manager and a man who traded verbal pre-fight blows with Toney, was rejoicing after the decision despite his man's unpopularity due to his grab and hug style.
"All I've ever heard was how bad Johnny Ruiz was for boxing. Who's bad for boxing now?" Stone said. "Toney's always talking about being a man. Well, he should be a man and admit what he did instead of making excuses."
Stone and Toney had a heated exchange at a pre-fight news conference that Cardinale said made Ruiz's camp suspicious.
"We always suspected he was on something," Cardinale said. "That rage you saw at the press conference looked like 'roid rage. We were very skeptical. When Johnny hit him with shots and he didn't react we knew something was wrong.
"(Ruiz) wouldn't fight him again if he doesn't absolutely have to. He's one of the most despicable human beings on the planet."
Toney loses heavyweight title after testing positive for steroids
NEW YORK, May 12 (AFP) - James Toney tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone and was stripped here Wednesday of the victory that made him the World Boxing Association heavyweight champion.
The New York State Athletic Commission ruled that Toney's unanimous 12-round decision over Puerto Rico's John Ruiz here on April 30 is now officially a "no decision" because of Toney's positive post-fight doping test.
Toney was also fined 10,000 dollars and banned from fighting for 90 days. He will lose his crown to Ruiz and will be unable to fight for the WBA heavyweight crown again for two years, although he could seek other heavyweight crowns.
Dan Goossen, promoter for the 36-year-old American fighter, confirmed that Toney tested positive for nandrolone and that there would be no appeal of the punishments.
Goossen claimed medications Toney took to treat injuries that wiped out two prior fights led to the positive test.
"Toney received medical treatment for recovery from his biceps and triceps surgery last year," Goossen said. "His doctor has stated that the combination of medications used to control the inflammation and tissue growth caused the positive test result."
The commission was not buying the story, noting that Toney made no effort to provide such documentation of medical treatments before the fight or dope test.
"Toney did not submit any documents regarding his medical history prior to the weigh-in," commission chairman Ron Scott Stevens said. "There would be no reason for us to know he would violate our substance-abuse policy."
Toney denied that he has ever taken any performance-enhancing substance.
"I've never used any illegal substances to prepare myself for a fight," Toney said. "Being accused of taking performance enchancing substances is an insult to me. I don't do drugs. Period."
With Don King as his promoter, Toney has a solid chance of fighting for the International Boxing Federation or World Boxing Organization crowns. Those, like the WBA crown, are all in the hands of fighters promoted by King.
Toney's steroid positive comes two weeks after US lawmakers conducted a hearing into steroids in American football and just days after they gave preliminary approval to forming an oversight committee to regulate boxing.
New York state rules call for the fight to be declared no contest with any decision regarding possession of a title to be made by the sanctioning body.
WBA rules require the title to revert to the original champion if a triumphant challenger fails of a doping test, provided the original champion is still an active fighter.
So Ruiz - who retired after the fight but said two days ago he would fight again - reclaims the WBA crown and a dubious place among champions.
"We're glad the truth has come out and Johnny hasn't lost his championship," Ruiz lawyer Anthony Cardinale said.
Toney looked overweight but not bulked up but became only the third former middleweight champion in boxing history to claim a heavyweight crown, following compatriot Roy Jones and 1890s fighter Bob Fitzsimmons.
Norman Stone, Ruiz's manager and a man who traded verbal pre-fight blows with Toney, was rejoicing after the decision despite his man's unpopularity due to his grab and hug style.
"All I've ever heard was how bad Johnny Ruiz was for boxing. Who's bad for boxing now?" Stone said. "Toney's always talking about being a man. Well, he should be a man and admit what he did instead of making excuses."
Stone and Toney had a heated exchange at a pre-fight news conference that Cardinale said made Ruiz's camp suspicious.
"We always suspected he was on something," Cardinale said. "That rage you saw at the press conference looked like 'roid rage. We were very skeptical. When Johnny hit him with shots and he didn't react we knew something was wrong.
"(Ruiz) wouldn't fight him again if he doesn't absolutely have to. He's one of the most despicable human beings on the planet."