Witherspoon Fails His Post-Fight Drug Test

Tim Witherspoon, former World Boxing Assn. champion, failed his post-fight urinalysis after he lost his title last Friday night to James (Bonecrusher) Smith, a New York State Athletic Commission spokesman said Wednesday. It was the second time this year that Witherspoon had failed such a test.

Smith knocked out Witherspoon in the first round of the bout at Madison Square Garden. Traces of marijuana were found in Witherspoon’s pre- and post-fight tests, according to commission spokesman Marvin Kohn. Witherspoon has been suspended by the commission pending a hearing, tentatively set for Dec. 29.

Witherspoon was fined $25,000 and ordered to fight a rematch after winning the title from Tony Tubbs Jan. 17 in Atlanta because marijuana showed up in his post-fight drug test. Last week’s bout was to be the rematch, but Tubbs pulled out, claiming he had a shoulder injury.

Smith signed as a replacement one week before the bout and knocked Witherspoon down three times to stop him in the first round.

Tubbs and his manager, Carl King, who also manages Witherspoon, were suspended by the commission for failing to notify it of his injury. Tubbs and King will also be granted a hearing later this month.

Tubbs was examined last week by the commission doctor, Robert Schultz, but Kohn said that the fighter walked out during the examination. Kohn said that Tubbs excused himself to go to the bathroom and failed to return.