Today, Wednesday – May 15th, Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director, Keith Kizer, revealed that J’Leon Love tested positive for the banned substance, Hydrochlorothiazide, for his May 4th bout against Gabriel Rosado. A bout in which Love won a very controversial split decision after getting dropped in the sixth round of the 10-round fight. A fight which many observers, both experts and fans alike, believed Rosado had won.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a calcium-sparing diuretic drug which can help the body get rid of excess water while retaining calcium. Although the substance itself is not a PED(Performance Enhancing Drug), it can also combine to work as a masking agent for steroids(and PEDs) to go undetected. After arriving to the weigh-in 2 hours late, Love failed to make weight when he stepped on the scales on Friday, May 3rd, and was given over an hour and 3 attempts to meet the minimum required 160-pound weight limit for his bout against Rosado. Love eventually made the contractual weight, but Team Rosado insists that there were many questionable instances surrounding the fight that weekend beginning with the fighters’ grand arrivals(May 1st).
TheBoxingTribune.com personally reached out to Team Rosado and got official word from Michelle Rosado, Gabriel’s Marketing Manager, regarding Love’s positive drug testing. Here’s what she had to say in its entirety, on behalf of Team Rosado:
“Honestly, I was not surprised by the positive test. There were many red flags leading up to the fight from the “Grand Arrival” outburst to being late to the weigh in, plus a few other things. Unfortunately, Gabriel still will not be credited for the victory he EARNED and deserves. In the grand scheme of things this shouldn’t have even mattered if two of the judges would have done their jobs. A rematch is not necessary. Gabriel clearly beat him on May 4th.”
Although the outcome of the fight will most likely not be reversed, it is almost certain that according to state rules on the matter, the result will be changed to a No Contest. Members of Love’s promoter(Mayweather Promotions), including CEO Leonard Ellerbe and Floyd Mayweather have stated that they are “disgusted” by the news of Love’s banned substance use and stated that along with N.S.A.C.’s pending ruling and consequences, that Mayweather Promotions would also proceed with disciplinary action as it pertains to their fighter, Love.
As is the protocol for the N.S.A.C. in such cases, Love will be temporarily suspended and then stand before the N.S.A.C. at a formal hearing.
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