Mauricio Lara, the former world featherweight titleholder, has been suspended from boxing for two years due to a doping violation.
Lara, a 27-year-old boxer from Mexico City, holds a professional record of 28 wins, three losses, and two draws in 33 fights.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) announced his ban today, stemming from a test related to his fight in the UK on May 27, 2023. He was scheduled to defend his WBA featherweight belt against Leigh Wood that night in Manchester. Their first fight, three months prior, saw Lara defeat Wood by a seventh-round stoppage in a thrilling match.
However, their rematch faced controversy even before the first bell. During fight week, Lara was overweight at a check weigh-in. The British Boxing Board of Control intervened, stating Lara’s weight could not drop below 128.6lbs for safety reasons. At the official weigh-in, Lara was 129.8lbs, resulting in him being stripped of his world title.
In the rematch, Wood performed strongly, winning a clear unanimous decision. Afterward, UKAD tested Lara, and the sample analysis revealed betamethasone, a prohibited glucocorticoid when administered via injection, orally, or rectally during competition.
UKAD asked Lara to explain the positive test. A letter from his doctor stated that on May 12, just over two weeks before the fight, Lara received a dexamethasone injection for a shoulder injury sustained during sparring. Dexamethasone is permitted out-of-competition.
A UKAD scientific expert investigated this explanation and concluded that the dexamethasone injection did not account for the betamethasone found in his post-fight test.
UKAD informed Lara of potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations and provisionally suspended him. He was subsequently charged with two ADRVs. Lara could not provide any other explanation for the adverse finding.
Since the loss to Wood and the positive test, Lara has boxed three times in Mexico, winning twice and drawing once. He drew with Daniel Lugo on February 16 last year and then secured TKO victories in the seventh and eighth rounds against Pedro Alejandro Delgado and Edwing Davila, respectively.
UKAD addressed this, stating, “UKAD is aware that Mr. Lara has participated in professional boxing in Mexico since his Provisional Suspension began on March 7, 2024. However, as professional boxing in Mexico does not adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code, Mr. Lara is not considered to have violated his Provisional Suspension.”
“UK Anti-Doping Rule Article 7.10.6 states “During the period of a Provisional Suspension, the Athlete…who is subject to the Provisional Suspension may not participate in any capacity…in any Competition, Event or other activity organised, convened, authorised or recognised by the NGB or by any body that is a member of, or affiliated to, or licenced by the NGB”.
The two-year ban for the former champion is effective from March 7, 2024, to March 6, 2026.
