Junior welterweight title contender Ryan Martin has reportedly failed a drug test administered by VADA.
The once-beaten Martin tested positive for the banned substance exogenous testosterone, according to a report from ESPN's Dan Rafael. The report said the drug test was administered by conducted by VADA as part of the WBC's Clean Boxing Program around his participation in the World Boxing Super Series earlier this year.
Despite the report, Martin went to social media to proclaim his innocence, saying that if he had signed up for drug testing then why would he take illegal substances?
Martin, a contender at 140 pounds, participated in the World Boxing Super Series junior welterweight tournament and lost in the quarterfinals. Martin suffered a seventh-round knockout loss to Josh Taylor in a tournament bout on November 3 in Glasgow, Scotland. After the loss, Martin saw himself drop down all the way to No. 14 in the IBF rankings at junior welterweight.
This is not the first time a boxer was announced to have failed a VADA drug test in the past week. Middleweight contender Willie Monroe Jr. also tested positive for a banned substance and was taken out of the main event of the December 22 PBC on FOX card against interim WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo.