Luis Nery Failed Pre-Fight Drug Test

Luis Nery failed a pre-fight drug test for his fight with RING and WBC bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka on August 15 in Kyoto, Japan, according to the World Boxing Council, which sanctioned the bout.

Nery, who stopped Yamanaka in four rounds, tested positive for the the performance-enhancing drug Zilpaterol, which a WBC statement indicated is “very similar to” Clenbuterol, the banned substance for which Lucas Browne, Francisco Vargas and Erik Morales tested positive and faced sanctions.

Zilpaterol is also known as a steroid commonly given to cattle to help in making leaner beef.

According to Wikipedia, there have been some controversy surrounding the drug including,

Concerns have been raised on the impact of zilpaterol on flavor; however, studies have confirmed that overall tenderness, juiciness, flavor intensity, and beef flavor remain within the normal variation observed in the beef industry and differences are smaller than what can be detected by the consumer. However, several studies have shown the use of zilpaterol leads to increased size, feed efficiency, and value.^[

Merck reported Zilmax-fed cattle do not produce beef with a difference in taste or quality compared to cattle not fed the drug, but elsewhere, concerns have been raised about the beef’s tenderness. Studies have variously found a slight reduction in tenderness,an increase in shear force,^[11] and a lower percentage of intramuscular fat

In a short statement the WBC stated that they have “…been notified by VADA of an adverse finding from an out of competition sample taken from WBC bantamweight champion Luis Nery.”

Nery (24-0, 18 knockouts), of Tijuana, Mexico, was the mandatory challenger for Yamanaka (27-1-2, 19 KOs) when he ended Yamanaka’s WBC reign in his 13th title defense. There were no knockdowns but Yamanaka’s corner stepped into the ring to spare the 34-year-old from excessive punishment.

“The WBC Clean Boxing Program will begin the process according to its protocol and will provide additional information during the process,” the notice adds.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told RingTV.com that no decision has been made yet on the status of the fight result or title status as the organization begins its investigation of Nery’s positive test. The fighter will have the opportunity to have his B-sample tested.

Original Story: The Ring