Test After Title Bout Detects Drugs in Lora

Miguel Lora, the Colombian bantamweight who was found to have illegally consumed sweeteners during his World Boxing Council championship match against Albert Davila at the Forum Aug. 1, is in far more serious difficulty today.

The California Athletic Commission laboratory test that detected sucrose in Lora’s water bottles also detected amphetamines and methamphetamines in his urine, commission officer Marty Denkin said Monday.

Lora could be stripped of the WBC championship he defended Aug. 1, Denkin said.

“This is now very serious,” Denkin said. “Before, we could deal with the sweeteners, the sucrose (routinely). Now, we’re talking about narcotics.”

Denkin said that Lora, who is believed to be in Miami or Colombia, will be summoned to a regularly scheduled commission meeting in San Diego Aug. 19.

“One of four things is going to happen in San Diego,” Denkin said.

“We could allow Lora to retain his title, but apply secondary sanctions such as fines and a suspension.

“We could also do nothing, and refer the matter to the World Boxing Council, but I doubt that will happen.

“We could declare the Aug. 1 bout a no-decision bout, apply sanctions to Lora, and recommend to the WBC that there be a rematch.

“Fourth, we could disqualify Lora, award the victory to Davila, and recommend to the WBC that it declare Davila the champion.”

Davila, of Pomona, when told of Lora’s drug test and the four possibilities cited by Denkin, said: “That’s a good one, that fourth one. That’s the one I like.”

Davila, 33, was a two-time bantamweight champion and was in his seventh title fight when he was soundly beaten on a unanimous decision by Lora.

Davila said he and his wife, Roberta, had talked seriously about retirement from boxing since the loss, but he didn’t seem to know what to make of Monday’s development.

“I’d thought about retiring. Roberta and I had thought maybe that was my last fight. Now, maybe things have changed. Now, I don’t know. I’ll go to that commission meeting and see what’s going on.”

Davila, who has a 55-10-1 record, said he was disappointed in Lora, 30-0 and the WBC’s bantamweight champion since 1985. “I’m proud to say I’m a drug-free athlete,” Davila said.

“I really think Lora in his country (Colombia) has a responsibility to present an image little kids can look up to, just like I do in my country. I try to get involved in as many youth activities as I can. I mean, I really believe drugs are a serious problem and they have no place in sports.”

Denkin said two urine samples were taken as a matter of procedure from both boxers after their bout Aug. 1. Now, shortly before or shortly after the Aug. 19 commission meeting, he said, the second Lora sample, sealed Aug. 1, will also be tested.

Lora’s purse was temporarily held up after lab tests initially showed sucrose in his water bottles, but Denkin said Lora was paid this week, about $30,000.

Denkin said he believes that boxing in California remains largely drug-free.

“Of course, we take urine samples only in championship fights, or in cases where we think we have good cause to get a urine sample,” he said.

“I’ve been with the commission since 1983, and this case plus one cocaine case this year are the only two positive tests for narcotics I’m aware of,” he said.

He referred to a United States Boxing Assn. middleweight title bout earlier this year at the Forum between Steve Darnell and Lindell Holmes. Darnell, who was knocked out, tested positive for cocaine and remains under suspension.

Commission inspector Joey Olmos, with the commission since 1970, the year the commission began taking urine samples in title fights, also said he couldn’t recall another sample positive for illegal narcotics until the two this year.