Controversy has always been a selling point or stain on boxing depending on which way you look at it.
Debateable results like the recent draw between Lamont Roach Jr. and Gervonta Davis never fail to generate conversation.
The same can be said for positive drug tests with two recent cases impacting some of the biggest names and fights in the sport.
Conor Benn being cleared after his positive result has only made his upcoming clash with Chris Eubank Jr even bigger despite it stopping the fight from happening the first time around.
In the case of Ryan Garcia, his dominant win over Devin Haney being overturned has only made him a more controversial figure after the fight but in some examples, the sport has moved on too quickly as it did with a former world champion.
Mauricio Lara receives two-year ban for positive test after Leigh Wood rematch
Mauricio Lara has been banned for two years by UK Anti-Doping after the 27-year-old tested positive for betamethasone.
Unlike the previously mentioned cases where this creates a huge narrative around what’s next for them, in Lara’s situation, it’s about what has already been done.
The positive test is in relation to his WBA featherweight title rematch with Leigh Wood which took place all the way back in May of 2023 at the Manchester Arena.
On that night, after Lara missed weight, Wood avenged his loss in their previous encounter and reclaimed the title by beating the Mexican via a unanimous decision.
The biggest issue with this finding is that the two-year ban took two years to be found and enformed, meaning that Lara has already fought three times since the defeat, producing a draw and two wins in Mexico with his last fight coming this past January.
He has had the biggest nights of his career on UK soil having stopped both Wood and Josh Warrington in two shock results, with a head clash ending his rematch with Warrington in a draw.
‘This is gonna hurt Haney’… Fans react to Mauricio Lara’s suspension
Many fight fans were unsurprised to see Mauricio Lara be given a two-year suspension with many of the reactions referencing his stunning one-shot power.
There were a lot of comparisons to Ryan Garcia who pulled off a big upset against Devin Haney last year with ‘The Dream’ stating that the fight doesn’t matter because his opponent cheated.
Fans on X stated how even with Lara testing positive for a banned substance, Leigh Wood was able to beat the champion in their rematch after being stopped in the seventh round the first time around, making comparisons to Haney in the process.
“And Wood was still able to beat him??? This is gonna hurt Haney….,” wrote one user.