Felix Sturm tests positive for stanozolol
2:31 PM ET
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Dan RafaelESPN Senior Writer
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- 2013 BWAA Nat Fleischer Award winner for excellence in boxing journalism
- ESPN.com boxing writer since 2005
- Five years at USA Today
Super middleweight titleholder Felix Sturm tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol following his title-winning effort against Fedor Chudinov on Feb. 20, putting his belt in jeopardy. The WBA notified Sturm on Friday of the positive test of his "A" sample.
Sturm, of Germany, told the Cologne Express, his hometown newspaper, that he did not knowingly take a banned substance.
"I've been tested hundreds of times in my career and always the results were negative," said Sturm, who has been tested as a professional as well during an amateur career that culminated with an appearance in the 2000 Olympics.
"The fact that after two months such news comes and the [Germany boxing commission] wasn't informed -- how can this be? I will bring in the lawyers and open the 'B' sample."
In May 2015, Sturm (40-5-3, 18 KOs), 37, of Germany, challenged Chudinov (14-1, 10 KOs), 28, of Russia, for a vacant 168-pound world title in Germany and lost a split decision. They met again in a rematch, also in Germany, on Feb. 20, and Sturm won the belt on a majority decision. Sturm previously had won middleweight world titles four times.
"At first I was shocked," Sturm told the German news agency SID. "This is all very strange. I was tested hundreds of times tested in my career, with both blood and urine samples. There has never been anything and I have an absolutely clear conscience. I did not work 26 years for this. I always like to fight in the ring like a lion."
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza told ESPN.com that the status of Sturm's world title will remain unchanged until such time that the 'B' sample test comes back positive.
"[Sturm] will exercise his right to open the 'B' sample," Mendoza said. "I will let every boxer and his team make their defense cases. However, reviewing the past cases all boxers who tested positive have being stripped."
WBA titlist Sturm tests positive for stanozolol