Avni Yildrim Tests Positive for Two Different Steroids

Avni Yildrim Tests Positive for Two Different Steroids

By Jack Davies

Avni Yildrim, who you may remember for being knocked out by Chris Eubank Jr in the WBSS, or who you may remember for more recently losing to Anthony Dirrell on a technical decision due to an accidental head-but, has failed a drugs test.

Failing a VADA test for both DHCMT and methylclostebol, the super-middleweight division has truly been shaken up by these latest developments.

The WBC released this statement:

On September 26, 2019, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) reported to the World Boxing Council (“WBC”) that an “A” sample collected from Avni Yildirim on September 13, 2019 in Big Bear, California in connection with a random collection under the WBC Clean Boxing Program (“WBC CBP”), gave an adverse analytical finding for the presence of DHCMT/ methylclostebol (the “Finding”).
In light of the Finding, and as part of the WBC’s Results Management duties, the WBC has undertaken an investigation of the facts that resulted in the Finding including, but not limited to the: (1) circumstances surrounding the Finding; and (2) history and properties of the substance(s) revealed by the Finding.

Yildrim has voluntarily agreed to a meeting and deeper investigation with the WBC, of which are necessary to find a conclusion. It is often the case that when a fighter is caught ‘cheating’ that there is denial or some convenient reason for the failed test.

Thus, there is often a fog around drug tests with different sanctioning bodies punishing offenses differently and no clear communication to fighters over what is and what is not allowed.

Although we await results of the investigation, we can now expect him not to be in line for David Benavidez. This opens the possibility of a unification fight between Callum Smith and Benavidez. Furthermore, the next highest ranked contenders in the WBC are Chris Eubank Jr and David Lemieux.