Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. have both returned negative results for drug tests administered for their exhibition bout in California on Nov. 28.
The eight-round boxing match took place just outside Los Angeles with the California State Athletic Commission sanctioning the matchup. VADA — the voluntary anti-doping agency — conducted drug tests of both athletes.
On Tuesday, California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster confirmed to MMA Fighting that VADA reported negative test results for both athletes.
Both fighters underwent a full compliment of drug testing in the lead up to their bout, which saw Tyson and Jones Jr. clash for eight rounds with a trio of celebrity judges assigned by the WBC scoring the contest a draw.
There was some question about the drug test results considering Tyson openly admitted that he was smoking marijuana virtually right up to the time of his bout against Jones Jr.
“Listen, I can’t stop smoking,” Tyson said at the post-fight press conference. “I smoked during fights. I just have to smoke, I’m sorry. I’m a smoker. I smoke everyday. I never stopped smoking.”
That might sound like a recipe for disaster when it comes to drug testing but it turns out VADA doesn’t actually test for marijuana. Per the company’s official banned substances list, marijuana is not among the drugs they routinely look for when obtaining samples from athletes.
Of course, California is one of many states in the U.S. that has legalized the use of marijuana both medicinally and recreationally, although other drug testing organizations like USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) still test for it during competition for athletes.
Following the conclusion of the boxing exhibition, Tyson confessed that he plans to setting up more bouts similar to his clash with Jones Jr. in the future. Since the end of that bout, Tyson and former opponent Evander Holyfield have both expressed interest in a rematch but there’s been no confirmation that the bout will happen in 2021.