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Francisco Rodriguez Jr still ready to fight despite a two-year doping ban

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Francisco Rodriguez Jr portrait with Mexican flag background following two-year doping ban ruling

Mexican flyweight Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez Jr still has plans to fight even after being banned for two years from all sports under the World Anti-Doping Code after testing positive for drugs following a dominant victory over Galal Yafai in Great Britain.

British Anti-Doping confirmed that Rodriguez had committed an anti-doping rule violation in relation to the presence and employ of prohibited stimulants after providing an in-competition sample on June 21, 2025, the night he handed Yafai his first professional defeat.

Analysis of the urine sample showed unfavorable results for octodrine and its metabolite heptaminol, as well as oxylofrine. All three substances are classified as specific stimulants banned in competition.

Rodriguez was given a two-year period of ineligibility beginning July 30, 2025, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. The sanction will expire at 23:59 on July 29, 2027.

The ruling ends a long-running saga stemming from the fight in Great Britain, where Rodriguez dominated Yafai for twelve rounds to take a unanimous decision and improve his record to 41-6-1 after 28 knockouts.

According to CompuBox, the judges scored the fight 119-108 twice and 118-109 when the Mexican veteran landed an extraordinary force of 528 punches.

Timeline of the Rodriguez doping case

The positive test first came shortly after the fight, World Boxing News reported at the time, as questions began to arise about the result.

Rodriguez later denied knowingly taking any banned substance, stating that he had not intentionally taken anything illegal in reference to the allegations.

Attention soon turned to coach Eddy Reynoso as Rodriguez’s team tried to clarify the situation, which was another development covered by WBN as the investigation continued.

UKAD said Rodriguez did not respond to repeated attempts to contact him about the allegations before the sanction was finalized.

The lengthy disciplinary process diluted the immediate impact typically associated with a two-year suspension. Rodriguez fought again four months later, stopping Jesus Faro in two rounds in Mexico in October 2025.

World Boxing Council

WBC trial controversy

At the same time, the World Boxing Council imposed its own controversial sanction following the positive test.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman placed Rodriguez on a twelve-month probation period, sparking debate over the sanctioning body’s authority to discipline fighters fighting for its championship.

“The athlete will be on a ‘probationary period’ for twelve months during which tests will be conducted and, in the event of failure, immediate sanctions relating to previous tests will be imposed. The sanction comes solely from the WBC,” Sulaiman said, defending the move.

Critics argued that this approach caused confusion with national regulators such as the British Boxing Board of Control, which has yet to issue its own ruling on the matter.

The situation also raised doubts about the fight result itself, which remained unchanged on BoxRec as the regulatory process dragged on.

Complication of white blood cell eliminator

Despite the controversy, Rodriguez continues to appear in the WBC flyweight title fight.

The organization’s March 2026 “Status by Division” document lists Rodriguez in the qualifiers against Angelino Cordova scheduled for May 23.

This fight could put Rodriguez back on the path to a rematch with Yafai, who currently holds the interim WBC flyweight title and is expected to challenge champion Ricardo Sandoval.

Rodriguez also announced the fight during the period covered by the WBC’s suspension decision, further complicating an already confusing matter.

Following UKAD’s decision to force a worldwide suspension under the World Anti-Doping Code, World Boxing News expects the WBC to formally remove the qualifier from its flyweight status list.

Conor Benn UKAD Appeal
Mark Robinson

Anti-doping procedure questioned

Rodriguez faced hefty criticism from British fans after the Yafai fight, and some observers across the Atlantic also questioned a photo circulating with trainer Eddy Reynoso.

However, the length of the anti-doping trial means that the ruling comes almost a year after the fight itself. Before the verdict was handed down, Rodriguez fought again.

The case also echoes jurisdictional debates during the Conor Benn saga, with Benn competing twice in the United States while still under investigation for two failed tests.

At this rate, UKAD penalties run the risk of being perceived to be unevenly enforced across different regions of the sport when decisions are made long after the events that triggered them.

World Boxing News will continue to monitor developments in the flyweight division as governing bodies respond to the UKAD ruling.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Lester Martinez Aims for Canelo Alvarez with BoMacs Support

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"Lester Martinez Aims for Canelo Alvarez with BoMac's Support"

Lester Martinez would give Canelo Alvarez a dangerous first defense of his reclaimed WBC super middleweight title. The aggressive Guatemalan can punch and has Brian “BoMac” McIntyre in his corner, giving him access to the trainer who helped Terence Crawford beat Canelo.

“My dream now is to fight Canelo because he’s the champion,” Martinez said to Izquierdazo Boxeo in a quote shared by The Ring. His WBC interim title gives that ambition substance, although it does not establish that Canelo has been ordered to face him next.

The McIntyre connection makes this more interesting than another contender requesting a payday. BoMac knows what went into preparing Crawford for Canelo and could bring that knowledge into Martinez’s camp. The WBC lists McIntyre as Martinez’s trainer. wbcboxing.com

Crawford could also offer firsthand advice about Canelo’s timing, counterpunching and habits under pressure. His involvement in a potential camp has not been announced, but Martinez would have an obvious reason to seek his stablemate’s input.

Mbilli took too long to alter his approach when Canelo’s jab and head movement disrupted his pressure last weekend. He continued following Canelo without consistently changing how he attacked. Martinez would likely arrive expecting those tactics, with McIntyre preparing ways to get past the jab and vary his attack.

That would not make Lester immune to Canelo’s counters. It could, however, reduce the rounds spent trying to work out what to do next. BoMac could prepare alternatives before the opening bell and help Martinez adjust between rounds when Canelo starts frustrating him.

Martinez would still need to win with his own tools. He cannot copy Crawford’s performance. His route would involve sustained pressure, body punching and enough variation to prevent Canelo from anticipating each attack.

His 2025 draw with Mbilli gives him a relevant result against the man Canelo just defeated. Beating Canelo is another matter, but an aggressive puncher arriving with informed preparation would be a serious undertaking for the 36-year-old champion.

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Tyson Fury Unleashes Wilder KO Strategy to Overcome Anthony Joshua

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"Tyson Fury Unleashes Wilder KO Strategy to Overcome Anthony Joshua"

Tyson Fury is going back to the playbook behind his most destructive night. He is targeting 280 pounds when he meets Anthony Joshua on December 11 in Cardiff. He wants the crushing bulk that battered Deontay Wilder years ago. Scaling up to that number on the scales is easy. Recreating that vintage menace nearly seven years later is a totally different story.

Fury announced his intentions directly to his fans online. “Big boy 280lbs incoming,” he posted. “Not your average build. However, the love handles are used for energy.” He already promised a blistering pace out of the gate, followed by a quick stoppage.

Back in February 2020, Fury stepped on the scale at 273 pounds before stopping Wilder in round seven. That was Fury at his peak as an aggressive bruiser. He bullied Wilder backward. He draped his weight over the champion, forcing him to haul around all that mass. Wilder could never find the space needed to trigger his lethal right hand.

Every single pound had a purpose back then because Fury used his bulk masterfully. He smothered Wilder immediately after throwing punches. He disrupted every attempt to recover. He kept trapping Wilder in corners where mounting any counter was nearly impossible. It was relentless physical pressure from a guy focused on total control.

Joshua is a distinct challenge, yet the logic makes total sense. Giving Joshua breathing room allows him to set his feet to unleash heavy shots. Chasing him down can trigger panic before his offense even starts. Fury would immediately test Joshua’s nerves under fire.

The big worry is the condition of those 280 pounds. Fury reached 281 pounds for the rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, looking soft around the waist. That outing provided zero evidence that piling on weight makes him more dangerous.

To handle Joshua, Fury needs agile footwork to cut off escape routes. He needs sharp reflexes to slip incoming fire. He needs enough gas in the tank to keep pressing once the initial charge fades. If Joshua survives that opening assault, the extra pounds could become a heavy burden as the rounds accumulate.

Fury picked a blueprint with real history. Replicating the monster who conquered Wilder is the real challenge.

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Shakur Stevenson Analyzes Canelos Decision Victory Over Christian Mbilli for WBC Title

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Shakur Stevenson Analyzes Canelo's Decision Victory Over Christian Mbilli for WBC Title

Canelo Alvarez returned to the super-middleweight throne with a decision victory over Christian Mbilli on Saturday, and when summarising the performance, pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson made his thoughts on the display extremely clear.

At 36-years-old, off the back of both the longest inactive streak of his career and a defeat last time out, Canelo entered the Riyadh ring with many fight fans doubting whether the career of the Mexican superstar was nearing the end.

However, the four-division world champion instead recaptured the WBC super-middleweight title as he handed Mbilli a first career defeat.

Canelo’s experience, ring IQ and accuracy ultimately proving to be too much for the French-Cameroonian champion as he won a unanimous decision with scores of 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110.

That performance has once again made Alvarez the man to beat in the 168lb scene, with each of his fellow world titleholders at the weight desperate to secure a lucrative unification opportunity on his mooted spring 2027 return.

Speaking shortly after witnessing the win, reigning WBO super-lightweight champion Stevenson took to X to praise the efforts of Canelo both on the night and across his career as a whole, labelling the veteran as both a ‘GOAT’ and a ‘legend’.

“Canelo is a [GOAT]Respect legend!!! @canelo”

As far as what is next for Alvarez, it seems as though he will fight again in in either April or May for the final bout of his four-fight contract with Riyadh Season.

At present, Hamzah Sheeraz would likely be deemed as the frontrunnerif Terence Crawford refuses to comeback for the rematch.

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