Andre Berto tests positive for banned substance!

Victor Ortiz                              Andre Berto

The highly anticipated rematch between Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz has been cancelled as former welterweight world champ Berto has tested positive for the steroid norandrosterone. He denied using a banned substance but it has been confirmed that the test was correct and the fight is definitely off.

The fight was scheduled for June 23rd and it looks as if Ortiz will still be fighting on that date against an opponent that will be announced shortly. Many people would love him to face British light-welterweight Amir Khan, who was set to fight tonight until his fight was cancelled due to the fact that Lamont Peterson tested positive for a PED in a random drug test. It is unlikely that this fight will happen but it will be great for the fans and for the good of the sport if it does.

Promoter Lou DiBella commented on the situation: "I know he tested positive. "I have nothing else to say. I don't know all of the details so I have nothing else to say."


Ortiz's promoter Robert Schaefer also gave his thoughts: "Obviously, we are disappointed that Berto's 'B' sample came back positive. I was informed late Saturday of the 'A' sample testing positive and urged an immediate testing of the 'B' sample. We just got the results that the 'B' sample tested positive as well. It's unfortunate. We have to see what happened because I don't know."


"This is obviously a very unpleasant situation to say the least, but at the same time, there is no room for any form of performance-enhancing drug use in boxing. I am not accusing Berto of anything, but that happens when you want to clean up the sport and you agree as a fighter and promoter to go through these kinds of procedures. I hope this will lead athletes to be more careful with what they eat or drink or take. Everybody needs to educate themselves more about what is permitted and what it is not permitted. But if it takes two or three or four fights to be canceled, so be it. There can be zero tolerance for the use of banned substances."


Andre Berto denied using a banned substance and explained that he is shocked that the test came back positive.


"At the present time, I cannot explain the positive drug test, which was provided as part of a voluntary anti-doping program in which I agreed to participate," Berto said in a statement. "I know that I have never used any steroids or other banned substances, and I am investigating all possible causes of the positive test with my attorney, Howard Jacobs. I have never cheated, and all of my success has come from hard work and dedication."


The first fight between the two men was voted as 'Fight Of The Year' and every boxing fan in the world was looking forward to seeing it again but unfortunately that is not going to happen. Ironically, after the first fight Berto accused Ortiz of taking Performance Enhancing Drugs and Ortiz's manager Rolando Arellano was quick to point this out. 


"When you point the finger there's three pointing back at you, but we will take the high road. We're going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt... We want to fight him and he wants to fight us, so we are going to wait until there is a complete fact finding in this case. We know what VADA has to say and we're curious what about what Berto has to say. Hopefully, there is something that went wrong. Maybe the jars got mixed up. But it doesn't look that way. Victor will go on, but this is awful for boxing fans who wanted to see another fight of the year."


Ortiz, reportedly went straight to the gym as soon as he found out that Berto had tested positive. So it looks like he still intends to fight on June 23rd, no matter who it is against.