Boxing
Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

Chris Arreola's win changed to no-decision over pot in drug test

Boxing

Former two-time heavyweight world title challenger Chris Arreola's tight 12-round split decision victory over Travis Kauffman on Dec. 12 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio was quietly changed to a no-decision on Jan. 5, after Arreola tested positive for marijuana, ESPN.com learned Monday.

It was the second time Arreola has tested positive for marijuana and had a victory changed to a no-decision. In July 2011, Arreola won a near-shutout decision against Friday Ahunanya at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on the undercard of the Paul Williams-Erislandy Lara fight, but he tested positive, and the result was changed.

Susan Stanford, the public information officer for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees boxing in the state, confirmed Arreola's positive test.

"He tested positive in the postfight drug test, and we changed it to a no-decision," she told ESPN.com.

She also said Arreola was issued a 90-day suspension by Texas, and he did not request that his "B" sample be tested, nor did he request a hearing. He simply accepted the suspension.

But the suspension was toothless as it began Dec. 18 - the date on which the commission received the positive test result -- and Arreola would not have fought during those 90 days anyway. He is not expected back in the ring until at least April, a month after the suspension is over.

Also, Arreola, 34, of Riverside, California, was fined $750 from his $125,000 purse.

With the change in result, Arreola's record reverted to 36-4-1 with 31 knockouts.

Kauffman, 30, of Reading, Pennsylvania, whom many thought won fight, which was the co-feature of a Premier Boxing Champions card televised in primetime on NBC, saw his record scrubbed of the loss. Kauffman's record now stands at 30-1 with 22 knockouts.

"I found out about this [Monday], and I'm very disappointed," Henry Ramirez, Arreola's longtime trainer, told ESPN.com. "It's extremely frustrating. The fight with Kauffman was a good win for Chris. It was a close fight, an entertaining fight, and now to have the win changed to a no-decision -- the second time this has happened -- is a big disappointment."

Arreola could not be reached for comment.

Two judges scored the fight 114-113 in Arreola's favor, and one had it 114-113 for Kauffman, a longtime friend and sparring partner of Arreola's.

Despite their friendship, they turned in an action-packed fight in which Kauffman knocked Arreola down in the third round but also suffered a cut over his right eye.

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