Linardatou Still Searching For Justice As Baumgardner Returns Amidst PED Scandal

Alycia Baumgardner’s return to the ring has been officially announced. As first reported by the Brunch Boxing Podcast, Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KOs) will face Delfine Persoon (49-3, 19 KOs) on September 27 in Georgia. This bout marks Baumgardner’s first appearance since her controversial victory over Christina Linardatou in their July 2023 rematch, a fight marred by a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

Baumgardner’s July 12 urine sample, collected just three days before her rematch with Linardatou, tested positive for mesterolone and methenolone acetate metabolites. Mesterolone is an anabolic-androgenic steroid and derivative of dihydrotestosterone, while methenolone is a synthetic steroid known for its anabolic effects, as detailed by the National Institutes of Health. The test was administered by Drug Free Sport, a body responsible for ensuring fair play in sports.

In the aftermath of the positive test, Baumgardner issued a statement maintaining her innocence, citing accidental ingestion or contamination as the cause of the banned substances in her system. “An independent test of a sample of my hair by a reputable laboratory examined the time period from June through August of 2023 and has NOT DETECTED mesterolone or any other steroid in my body. These results conclusively rule out ANY possibility of intentional doping,” Baumgardner claimed.

Despite these assertions, the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission (MUCC) suspended Baumgardner indefinitely. The suspension was lifted in March, yet the MUCC has not disclosed any findings or conclusions from their investigation, leaving Linardatou in limbo. Efforts by Linardatou to obtain answers from the MUCC have been met with silence. The commission declined to comment when approached by Brunch Boxing.

The July 2023 loss still tarnishes Linardatou’s record, a reality she struggles to accept. In an extensive interview with Brunch Boxing, she expressed her frustration and determination to seek justice. “I want to remove that loss because it wasn’t fair,” Linardatou asserted. She firmly believes Baumgardner’s enhanced strength in their rematch was due to intentional doping. “Of course I think so… She wasn’t like the first fight. I didn’t see any difference. I only saw her stronger than the first time,” she remarked.

Linardatou’s journey to the rematch was a particularly difficult one. Having given birth to her son, Apollo, in 2021, she took over two years off from boxing. The rematch with Baumgardner was meant to be her triumphant return, a chance to reclaim her status and become the undisputed super featherweight champion. The positive test result was a devastating blow. “I went through difficult moments for this fight with the baby and coming back from pregnancy… but when I learned about that (the positive test), I was like wow,” she revealed.

Turning to the four major sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF) for support, Linardatou found mixed responses. The WBC, after considering all presented evidence, concluded that while the anti-doping test was valid, there was no conclusive proof of Baumgardner’s intentional doping. The WBO issued a show-cause order to Baumgardner but has not released any follow-up statements. The IBF and WBA have remained silent on the matter.

Notably, the upcoming Baumgardner-Persoon fight is being promoted as only a WBC title defense, not an undisputed title defense, calling into question Baumgardner’s championship status with the other sanctioning bodies, amid the doping scandal. Linardatou, feeling ignored and stonewalled, has grown increasingly frustrated with her former promoter, Lou DiBella’s efforts to seek justice. “Lately I don’t have any kind of communication… Nobody knows what to say, what to do and what’s going on,” she lamented. Despite his attempts, DiBella’s efforts have been in vain.

Adding to the intrigue, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who promoted Baumgardner’s last five fights, is conspicuously absent from the promotional material for the Baumgardner-Persoon bout. Instead, the Global Combat Collective is the lead promoter, following a WBC purse bid. Matchroom has previously promoted and had their names listed on fight material for fights in which they’ve lost a purse bid. The most recent example is the unified light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith, a fight won by Top Rank Boxing. The current state of Baumgardner’s professional relationship with Matchroom remains unclear.

Linardatou insists she is not out to cause trouble but seeks fairness and justice in the sport she loves. “I want to rematch her without the drugs,” she stated. Baumgardner has yet to respond to Linardatou’s call for a rematch, seemingly ignoring her former opponent altogether.

Despite the setbacks, Linardatou remains optimistic and determined. She plans to return to the ring in October or November in her home country of Greece. Though it won’t be the hero’s welcome it might have been had she returned as the undisputed champion, Linardatou remains proud of her achievements. Still, her quest for justice continues, with the possibility of a lawsuit on the horizon. “If I don’t find a way, at the end of the day, that’s going to be my last solution,” she concluded.

As Baumgardner prepares for her next challenge, the shadow of the PED scandal looms large, and Linardatou’s search for justice remains unresolved. Linardatou is left waiting to see if fairness will prevail in a sport that has often struggled with its own ethical battles.