The undisputed super featherweight champion, Alycia Baumgardner, has been notably absent from the media and has avoided interactions with the sanctioning bodies ever since it was revealed that she tested positive for the banned substance mesterolone. While Baumgardner has been suspended by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), which serves as the governing body for North America, similar to what the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) is for the UK, the sanctioning bodies themselves have yet to impose any further penalties.
The WBO appears to be the most proactive sanctioning body in this case, as they recently issued a “Show Cause” notice to Alycia Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KO’s) and her promoter, Matchroom, which is run by British chairman Eddie Hearn.
A “Show Cause” order or notice is typically issued by sanctioning bodies when they require fighters to provide a justification for why they should continue to hold a title, maintain their ranking, or address other circumstances when there are concerns regarding their misconduct or actions. In Baumgardner’s case, this misconduct pertains to the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED’s), which led to her suspension by the ABC in August of this year.
The WBO has granted Baumgardner thirty days, starting from October 31st to November 30th, to respond to their “Show Cause” notice with appropriate evidence, documentation and procedure set by the WBO to plead her case to remain the WBO super featherweight champion.
Failure to produce a valid reason for why Baumgardner should retain her WBO championship may result in her being stripped of the title. Even if the notice is delivered to the WBO, they still retain the authority to strip Baumgardner of her belt if they believe they have reasonable cause to do so.
A test conducted on July 12th revealed that Alycia Baumgardner had tested positive for the banned substance mesterolone, although it is noteworthy that this discovery occurred a month after her July 15th fight against Christina Linardatou (14-3, 6 KO’s). Since then, only a suspension has been imposed on Baumgardner by the ABC, with no further repercussions or actions taken by the other sanctioning bodies.
Unlike in the case of Keyshawn Davis who tested positive for cannabis, Baumgardner’s match with Linardatou was oddly not overturned. This is even more peculiar given the difference in substances both fighters tested positive for. While Davis reportedly used cannabis prior to his fight, it is not considered illegal in every state of the United States and he could have potentially dodged any sort of punishment had he fought in another state.
Cannabis is also not considered a performance-enhancing drug despite its banned status, unlike mesterolone which is said to be able to increase the testosterone levels of an athlete and banned for that reason.
As of now, Alycia Baumgardner still holds all her world titles (WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF) and her lineal The Ring title at super featherweight. However, this may change in light of the WBO’s recent notice to Baumgardner and her team.
Baumgardner last addressed her situation in mid-August, where she pledged to clear her name and vehemently denied any intentional use of the alleged illegal substance she tested positive for. As of now, there have been no indications of the steps she plans to take to prove her innocence.
Her promoter, Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn, has similarly not disclosed any efforts made to clear her name, emphasizing that the process is confidential.
