The WBC held a purse bid on Friday in Mexico City, for the rights to the fight between the world super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner from the United States and Belgium's Delfine Persoon. As a result, the fight will be promoted by Global Combat Collective, who won with a bid of $500,000.For this fight, the WBC will apply its unique rule of a 10% bonus for the winner. That is, $450,000 of the purse bid will be subjec tot a champion / challenger split and the winner will take home $50,000 of the top of the bid. Baumgardner has a record of 15 wins and only one loss, while Persoon has 59 wins and three losses.
MARCH 12, 2024: The WBC will hold a important purse bid on Friday in Mexico City at 1:00 PM, for a women's 130-pound title fight between champion Alycia Baumgardner and mandatory contender Delfine Persoon of Belgium. Baumgardner has a record of 15 wins and only one loss, while Persoon has 59 wins and three losses. In early November, the WBO issued a show-cause order to world 130-pound champion Alycia Baumgardner to provide evidence comcerning her positive test for a banned substance after last fight, a win over a former 140-pound champion, Christina Linardatou. However, on March 9th, Baumgardner posted on her social media account that the Association Of Boxing Commissions (ABC) has lifted her suspension. Baumgardner remains WBO champion at this time and in fact still holds all four major titles.
Neither the Michigan Boxing Commission, who had jurisdiction over her last fight, or the other three sanctioning bodies showed any public interest in Baumgarnder's positive test. Baumgarnder acknowledged the failed test, stating, "On August 12th, I was informed that an 'A sample' I provided on July 12th resulted in an adverse analytical finding of mesterolone and methenolone acetate metabolites, two substances I've never heard of or used in any way. The sample provided immediately after my fight on July 15th tested clean and negative.
The WBO published a letter to Baumgardner's promoter saying, "...a pre-fight drug test [was] performed on the above-referenced fighter by Drug Free Sport (“DFS”) surrounding the July 15, 2023, championship bout against Christina Linardatou held at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The bout in question was promoted by Matchroom Boxing and conducted under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission (Local Boxing Commission). According to [a] report, a urine sample collected on July 12, 2023, by the referenced testing entity showed an adverse analytical finding of banned substances. The substances in question were Mesterolone Metabolite and 3a-hydroxy-1a-mathyl-5a-androstan-17-one detected. The latter substances
were confirmed as per the test report obtained by the WBO.
"On October 9, 2023, Mr. Alex Dombroff of DiBella Entertainment, on behalf of [challenger] Christina Linardatou filed written submittal with supported evidence requesting that (i) Ms. Baumgardner be stripped of her WBO Jr. Lightweight Championship, and (ii) Christina Linardatou be ordered to fight the highest available contender for the vacant championship. The petitioner (DiBella Entertainment) addressed this Committee during the WBO 36th Annual Congress, conducted from October 9 through October 13, 2023, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, arguing in essence that Ms. Baumgardner’s positive test is in violation of Sections 19 and 28 of our governing regulations, and consequently, requested our intervention in the matter.
"Having considered the foregoing requests, and having examined the facts stated herein, and having reviewed our governing regulations, our intervention is warranted. The WBO Regulations of
World Championship Contests governs instances when a WBO Participant has tested positive for an illegal or any performance-enhancing drug, including but not limited to steroids and/or anabolic steroids.[...] Based on the alleged facts and potential violations of the relevant governing provisions, Ms. Baumgardner is hereby ordered to “Show Cause” within 30 days upon issuance of this notice as to why the WBO World Championship Committee shall not recommend to the WBO Executive Committee to declare the WBO Female Jr. Lightweight Championship vacant and/ or take any other action take any action deem proper, equitable and just in accordance with our regulations. Failure to comply with this order will result in this Committee proceeding accordingly and having Ms. Baumgardner waive all rights."
AUG. 17, 2023: From the WBC website: "The WBC has received a notification of an adverse finding resulting from an anti-doping test conducted in a sample collected from WBC and undisputed super featherweight world champion Alycia Baumgardner. The sample collection that resulted in the adverse finding took place in relation with the July 15, 2023 bout between Baumgardner and challenger Christina Linardatou. The adverse finding in questions arose from a sample collection and anti-doping test administered by Drug Free Sport, and not as part of the WBC Clean Boxing Program. Accordingly, the WBC will initiate a notification, investigation, and results management procedures for WBC World Championship bouts consistent with the WBC Rules & Regulations."
Note: Linardatou lost the July 15th bout to Baumgardner by wide unanimous decision. That was a rematch, as Linardatou had defeated Baumgarnder in 2018.
Baumgardner social media statment: "On August 12th, I was informed that an 'A sample' I provided on July 12th resulted in an adverse analytical finding of mesterolone and methenolone acetate metabolites, two substances I've never heard of or used in any way. The sample provided immediately after my fight on July 15th tested clean and negative for all ban substances as did my sample on June 16th, which makes the July 12th result essentially impossible.
"To be abundantly clear, I know that I never have, never would and never will take this or any other drug. Not only would doing should be unethical but it would also be completely contrary to how I’ve trained my entire career. As a professional athlete, I and I alone am responsible for what I put in my body, and my body is a temple. I am also a proud role model for any young woman or girl who seeks to follow in my footsteps. I take those responsibilities very seriously – which is why I know that I did not and would never put these substances in my body.
"I have a lot more to say about my journey and why the very idea of me taking an illegal, banned or even dangerous substance would never make sense. So I have no intention of sitting back and silent and letting this 'play out.' I plan to keep you all updated every step of the way as a work to ensure my reputation as a clean athlete remains fully intact."
