Alycia Baumgardner poses after the ultimate press convention earlier than her win over Christina Linardatou on July 15, 2023 on the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan. Necessary Credit score: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
Alycia Baumgardner is ready to renew her profession.
The Ring and undisputed 130-pound champion is now not underneath short-term suspension with the Affiliation of Boxing Commissions (ABC). The ban was listed on Friday after a months-long effort by Baumgardner to clear her identify relating to a previous optimistic drug check. The final hurdle was cleared as she is now poised to kick off her 2024 marketing campaign.
“By means of trials and tribulations, I’ve stayed true to my religion in Jesus Christ,” Baumgardner posted on her social media channels. “Regardless of public scrutiny and lies, I stay sturdy and assured.
“My gentle shines shiny, guided by God’s love. I’m a brave lady, unwavering in my journey.”
Baumgardner (15-1, 7 knockouts), The Ring’s No. 6 pound-for-pound fighter, has not fought since a July 15 unanimous choice over Christina Linardatou (14-3, 6 KOs), No. 4 at 140, in Detroit. The DAZN homecoming headliner noticed Baumgardner defend the RING, WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO 130-pound titles. She additionally avenged her lone profession defeat almost 5 years to the day of their July 2018 assembly.
The victory lap lasted lower than a month when phrase of her optimistic check leaked final August.
A July 12 drug testing pattern, as collected by brokers contracted by Drug Free Sport, confirmed proof of the banned substance Mesterolone.
There have been a number of points raised, specifically the timing of the check and chain of custody points connected to it. The pattern was not obtained by accredited lab Sports activities Medication Analysis & Testing till July 21, 9 days after it was collected on website in Detroit. A report was filed on August 10, which confirmed proof of the aforementioned substance.
Baumgardner professed her innocence all through the method and complied with the phrases set forth by all 4 sanctioning our bodies and the ABC. It included a number of random drug checks, in addition to Baumgardner’s personal choice to submit a hair pattern as a part of an impartial investigation. The supplied pattern was enough sufficient to check way back to final June and produced a destructive (clear) end result.
“These outcomes conclusively rule out ANY risk of intentional doping on my behalf and confirms for all of you that I’m what I say I’m,” Baumgardner said final November upon studying the end result. “What I’ve said from the very starting continues to be true. I by no means have and by no means would cheat within the sport that I like and that I’ve been blessed with the items and alternative to competitively dominate.”
The outcomes have been despatched to all related events within the investigation, together with the Michigan Unarmed Fight Fee whose workplace was embarrassingly silent throughout your complete course of. Baumgardner was deemed by the WBC as “not responsible of intentional ingestion or consumption of a banned substance for efficiency enhancement functions” following a prolonged investigation.
Regardless of the dedication, the WBC didn’t fully permit the undisputed champion off the hook. Baumgardner was positioned on a backdated one-year probation interval which is able to finish July 12, 2024. She may even must proceed to undergo Voluntary Anti-Doping Company (VADA) testing, at her personal price.
VADA was not concerned within the unique testing course of. Its inclusion on this course of is at the side of the WBC’s Clear Boxing Program.
Closing clearance nonetheless needed to come from the ABC. Sanctioning our bodies can’t formally clear any fighter aside from to not strip stated athlete of its title.
Baumgardner will now weigh her choices for his first struggle of 2024. She was beforehand vocal a few catchweight grudge match versus Claressa Shields (15-0, 2 KOs), The Ring and undisputed middleweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound queen. The meat generated loads of consideration on-line, although has since died down as Baumgardner has set her sights on extra related choices.
One desired goal is Eire’s Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs). The Ring 135- and 140-pound champion and No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter is because of struggle on Might 25 in Dublin. She stays with out an opponent, after talks stalled for a beforehand deliberate trilogy with Chantelle Cameron (18-1, 8 KOs), No. 1 at 140 and No. 3 pound-for-pound.
The Ring has realized that Cameron stays considered one of not less than 5 opponents nonetheless within the combine for the Might 25 date. The struggle will land on DAZN, who prefers a recognized identify to face Taylor.
Baumgardner completely suits that invoice and wouldn’t have any drawback shifting up in weight. Nevertheless, she might be pressed with a compulsory title protection. Former light-weight titlist Delfine Persoon (49-3, 19 KOs), No. 1 at 130, is Baumgardner’s prime challenger amongst all 4 sanctioning our bodies and the confirmed WBC obligatory.
Baumgardner absolutely unified the 130-pound division titles after a win over France’s Elhem Mekhaled (16-2, 3 KOs), No. 5 at 135, final February at Madison Sq. Backyard Hulu Theater in New York Metropolis. The vacant WBA title was at stake within the struggle.
The street to undisputed started with a Nov. 2021 fourth-round knockout of beforehand unbeaten WBC titlist Terri Harper (14-1-2, 6 KOs; No. 1 at 154). She then claimed the Ring, IBF and WBO belts in a ten-round, break up choice victory over Mikaela Mayer (19-2, 5 KOs; No. 2 at 147, No. 10 pound-for-pound), who was additionally unbeaten on the time of their Oct. 2022 championship unification in London.
Alongside together with her subsequent struggle, Baumgardner’s identify has surfaced in her enterprise out west the place she is coaching for the second. The 130-pound queen is at the moment in Las Vegas, momentarily working with Invoice Haney. The elder Haney is the daddy and head coach of Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs), The Ring’s No. 1 contender at 140. Devin Haney is in camp for an April 20 WBC title protection versus Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) in Brooklyn.
Jake Donovan a senior author for The Ring and vice chairman of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
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