Guillermo Jones tests positive again, fight with Denis Lebedev called off at last moment

Guillermo Jones tests positive again, fight with Denis Lebedev called off at last moment

When Denis Lebedev and Guillermo Jones met last year, the two produced one of 2013′s most exciting fights. The result was a TKO win for Jones after Lebedev suffered a grotesque eye injury. Months later, it was discovered that Jones fought with a banned substance in his system and the bout was later overturned.

The two were set to square off in a rematch in Russia about 30 minutes ago, but the fight was called off when Jones once again tested positive for Furosemide. Though the bout nearly went on as a non-title affair when the WBA decided against sanctioning it, it was ultimately called off.

Twitter was abuzz when a Spanish language report surfaced that Jones had tested positive. Steve Bunce, a commentator for BoxNation (who was to carry the rematch in the UK) mouthed off at UK writer Ben Jacobs, who translated the initial tweets. Less than an hour later, the positive test was confirmed and Bunce has yet to apologize for the name calling that ensued.

Following the first positive test, Jones wasn’t suspended nor removed from the rankings. WBA vice president Gilberto Mendoza confirmed via Twitter that the reason for this was the RUSADA testing had several procedural flaws that left reasonable doubt. For this fight, an independent Swiss lab carried out the testing and Jones again tested positive.

Jones and his team will have the opportunity to challenge the ruling and test his B-sample for further confirmation. Jones will likely be suspended and dropped from the rankings. Lebedev will have to wait another day to try and regain the WBA belt he lost at the hands of Jones.

-Mark E. Ortega / @MarkEOrtega

-Managing editor at www.BehindTheGloves.com