by David P. Greisman
Paulie Malignaggi says he asked for one drug-testing agency for his June 22 fight with Adrien Broner, was denied in favor of another agency, and meanwhile still has yet to be tested with the bout only about six weeks away.
“I actually asked for VADA [the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association] first and I was turned down,” Malignaggi told Ben Thompson of FightHype.com. “They said they were going to USADA [the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency], but I’m still waiting on what’s going on with USADA. I still have not been tested. I still have not heard anything.
“They said, ‘If you want VADA, there’s no fight,’ ” the 32-year-old welterweight titleholder added seconds later. “Do you ask for VADA and lose out on a 7-figure payday, or do you just say, ‘Alright, fuck it, no VADA,’ and take the payday?”
Malignaggi-Broner was officially announced on April 25.
VADA was used for a pair of Golden Boy bouts in 2012 that ended up not happening because of positive tests for banned substances: Lamont Peterson’s rematch with Amir Khan was canceled after Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone, and Victor Ortiz’s rematch with Andre Berto was canceled after Berto tested positive for nandrolone.
VADA also was used for the Golden Boy-promoted bout featuring Canelo Alvarez vs. Shane Mosley. Both fighters tested clean.
Golden Boy has been using USADA. Meanwhile, a couple Top Rank-promoted bouts earlier this year had VADA testing: Timothy Bradley vs. Ruslan Provodnikov, and Nonito Donaire vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux. All four fighters tested clean. VADA will also do the testing for this November’s Top Rank-promoted bout between Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios.
David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow David on Twitter @fightingwords2 or send questions/comments via email at fightingwords1@gmail.com
