What did ’El Rey’ Martínez test positive for?
Former WBC flyweight champion Martínez tested positive for diuretics and other masking agents following his bout against Angelino Córdova on March 30.
Another doping scandal has rocked the boxing world. Julio César ‘El Rey’ Martínez (21-3-0, 15 KOs) tested positive for S5 class diuretics and other masking agents, which can be used to conceal banned substances, in his fight against Angelino Córdova (18-1-1, 12 KOs) on March 30. This match marked the seventh defense of his WBC flyweight title. The positive test means he will be unable to fight for the foreseeable future.
Details of ’El Rey’ Martínez positive test
The Ring has confirmed that Martínez tested positive for a prohibited substance during his defense against Córdova, where he retained his title via majority decision at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) detected S5 diuretics and other masking agents in his samples. These substances can be used to help eliminate prohibited drugs from the body to avoid detection in doping tests.
Consequences and future plans
The doping announcement coincides with Martínez’s decision to vacate the flyweight title as he plans to move up to the bantamweight division. “He is scheduled to appear before the Commission again in June, tentatively on June 25, 2024,” Louis Hamilton, administrative assistant to the NSAC, told The Ring.
Martínez will be unable to fight in the United States while a full investigation into his positive test is carried out.
Another Mexican fighter, Erick García Benítez (5-6-1, 1 KO), tested positive for the same substance at the same event.