Dennis McCann was removed from his all-British showdown with Peter McGrail after returning an adverse finding in his pre-fight Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) test.
The two super bantamweight prospects were scheduled to collide in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 21, featuring on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury’s rematch.
Along with the mouth-watering main-event, this clash had largely captured the imagination of British fight fans, with both combatants looking to reach the pinnacle of their sport.
However, it was revealed by boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh on Friday that McCann has now been withdrawn from the card due to his failed drugs test.
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Dennis McCann vs. Peter McGrail fallout
Often, a fighter will proclaim their innocence shortly after returning a positive VADA test, insisting that they had never knowingly ingested a banned substance.
In other instances, though, they may be bound by a strict confidentiality agreement, preventing them from adding further comments to the issue.
That certainly appears to be the case here, with McCann and McGrail both remaining silent while the full details of the 23-year-old’s test – including the banned substance itself – are yet to be revealed.
Ahead of their cancelled European title fight, McCann has amassed an unbeaten record with eight stoppage victories, outpointing seasoned operator Ionut Baluta through 12 rounds in his last outing.
‘The Menace’ is widely known for his elusive, sharpshooting style, drawing plenty of inspiration from the likes of ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed, among other fast-twitch movers.
But regardless of his promising career, McCann’s failed test has been placed under the microscope before he has been given the opportunity to make a case for himself.
Dennis McCann has worked with the same doctor associated with Tyson Fury and Conor Benn
A photo of McCann standing alongside Dr Usman Sajjad, a testosterone specialist, has emerged on social media.
It is well documented that Dr Sajjad has worked with the likes of Fury and Conor Benn – two fighters who notably proclaimed their innocence after failing drugs tests – in the not too distant past.
Furthermore, Dr Sajjad has previously gone on record to offer insights into how fighters are able to circumvent drug tests in the UK.