In June, Galal Yafai stepped into the ring for what many believed would be a routine defense of his interim WBC title against Francisco Rodriguez Jr. However, Rodriguez Jr. secured a unanimous decision win in what many described as an unexpected upset. The result, though, soon came under scrutiny. Following the bout, Rodriguez Jr. tested positive for Heptaminol, a substance banned under WBC anti-doping regulations. The development triggered questions regarding the outcome of the fight and led to a formal review by the sanctioning body.

On July 27, the WBC concluded that Rodriguez Jr.’s use of Heptaminol was unintentional, and while they stopped short of issuing a ban, they reinstated Yafai as the interim WBC titleholder. The WBC also called for an immediate rematch and recommended that the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) follow suit. Under the WBC’s ruling, Rodriguez Jr. has been placed on a 12-month probation period, during which he must undergo a minimum of three random d–g tests at his own expense and participate in a WBC nutrition and education program. The WBC clarified that any adverse findings during this period would result in an indefinite suspension.

However, Yafai’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, isn’t satisfied with the lack of a ban. He slammed the decision, disclosing concerning information about Rodriguez Jr.’s bout prior to taking on Yafai.

“How do we get in a situation where, in two weeks of the news breaking about the test… he’s gone through a process and they’ve decided it was an accident, he was unlucky and… The fight’s a no contest, the title’s vacant, but he gets to do it again,” Hearn said in an interview with iFL TV.  It’s worth noting that while Rodriguez Jr. has not been banned, as was expected in doping cases like this, he has been placed on a 12-month probation period.

Hearn also disclosed what he described as new information regarding a previous contest involving Rodriguez Jr. According to Hearn, Rodriguez Jr.’s December 2023 bout against Josue Jesus Morales was later ruled a no-contest. He stated that upon checking official records and contacting the Texas Commission, his team learned that Rodriguez Jr. had allegedly failed a drug test related to that bout.

“I found out last night that Francisco Rodriguez Jr. also failed a d–g test in his fight before [the] Galal fight,” Hearn told the reporter. For context, Rodriguez Jr. defeated Josue Jesus Morales in December last year via unanimous decision. However, the fight was changed to a no-contest. “I went onto his BoxRec, and I noticed it was a no-contest in Texas. So we reached out to the Texas Commission, [which] confirmed that he failed a d–g test,” Hearn said. 

At the time of publication, Rodriguez Jr. and his team have not publicly responded to Hearn’s statements. The Texas Commission has also not issued an official press release on the matter.

Hearn contended that, had he been aware of the earlier reported violation, he would have advocated for more extensive testing prior to the Yafai bout. He further questioned the eligibility of Rodriguez Jr. to participate in a title eliminator, suggesting the process lacked transparency.  Considering his new findings, Hearn argued, “I also would have said to the WBC, are you sure this guy’s eligible for the eliminator?… I just can’t see how you can order the rematch. It’s mental.” While details of the rematch remain under wraps, Rodriguez Jr.’s pre-fight comments about his intentions for the first bout now paint a troubling picture in hindsight.

As of now, details of the rematch between Yafai and Rodriguez Jr. have not been finalized. The situation continues to develop, and further clarification from the involved parties, including the WBC and Texas authorities, may follow.