Crews-Dezurn WBO Title Reinstated, But WBC Say Champion Must Fight To Regain Title. No Uniformity

BY Scottie “The Context” White

Alamodome, San Antonio (January 11, 2020) Boxing was treated to a highly contested women’s super middleweight championship bout.  Just two months removed, Alejandra Jimenez (12-0 7KOs) challenged former unified champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn (6-1 2KOs) in the Alamodome, San Antonio. The women’s division are known to have a shallow depth of competitive fighters in their ranking inventory, so when this fight surfaced announcing Jimenez, a former heavyweight champion, who would now be contending several weight classes below, the interest broadened.

The feat itself was astounding, citing its rare occurrence in the men’s division to even consider such a divisional descension.  10-rounds of fury blessed the fans in attendance, it was a war early as both women unloaded heavy bombs inside the battle lines of the other.   When the smoke settled, a split decision was rendered 97-93 Crews-Dezurn but 98-92, 97-93, in favor of Jimenez. The titles would adorn Jimenez as the new womens WBC/WBO super middleweight unified champion.

A short time after, news broke that Jimenez tested positive for a ban substance (Stanozolol) in both her A and B samples. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) collected these samples prior to the championship showcase and a couple of weeks following the contest, would submit their findings on January 24. As an immediate compliance to these results, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)enforced a 90-day suspension on Jimenez.  WBC and WBO followed suit in handing down their suspension a short time after.

The procedures for Jimenez is the process of adjudication to prove her absolute innocence. Submit the required evidence to defer liability, as to insist attainable ingestion was strictly through unintentional means or the basis of unknowing contamination.  First sanctioning body to report this matter was the WBO, who requested for Jimenez to submit validation on the contamination or unintentional ingestion.  Jimenez was not compliant in this matter following several requests from the WBO.

Considering this news, Crews-Dezurn post fight comments was now a halogen in good faith as she received some precipitated backlash for identifying something “just isn’t right” with the challenger Jimenez. Crews-Dezurn has been solid to strict drug testing and plaudits are in order for her being a drug-free fighter, boxing advocate to compete in a clean sport with stringent testing.  

Marching forward, the WBO released their official ruling on reversing the title bout to a (ND) No Decision and the WBO title possession back in the ownership of Crews-Dezurn.  Then the curiosity heighten, would the WBC concede in good faith to do the same?  WBO released its statement.

“Having this Committee examined and reviews the applicable rules and regulations, having granted all parties substantial due process, having confirmed with the Texas Licensing and Regulation Department, administrative regulatory body with jurisdiction over the official bout result and imposed suspension, and having considered petitioner’s request, this Committee rules as follows,” noted Salas. “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the WBO World Championship Committee according to the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests as follows:

“The WBO World Championship Committee hereby strips Ms. Alejandra Jimenez of her WBO Female Super Middleweight Championship Title and it reinstates WBO Female Participant Ms. Franchon Crews-Dezurn as the official WBO Female Super Middleweight Champion.”

Jimenez is allotted a 14-day appeal process in submitting a written statement to this order.

As for the WBC, the general public awaited anxiously for them to follow suit.  Primarily since the findings are confirmed to be in violation, but not so fast.  Stemming from separate investigations conducted by the WBC and WBO pertaining. The WBC release this statement.

 “In light of Ms. Jimenez’s adverse finding, and pending the outcome of the WBC’s own investigation and adjudicatory process, on January 27, 2020, the WBC provisionally suspended its recognition of Alejandra Jimenez as WBC Super Middleweight World Champion,” the Mexico City-headquartered sanctioning body noted in a statement. “At this point, it is uncertain how long it will take for the WBC to complete its investigation and evaluation of Ms. Jimenez’ adverse finding.”

To caveat to this statement was a minor void in providing total justice for Crews-Dezurn, primarily hearing those words to return of her WBC title.  Let’s be honest, its only right to underscore that she survived a dirty fighter, these findings confirmed the violations but now the WBC response only inflames what should be an obvious reversal.

“[C]onsistent with the WBC Rules & Regulations mandate to maintain reasonable activity in its divisions, and taking into account Ms. Crews-Dezurn’s position, the WBC will:

(1) maintain the provisional suspension of recognition of Alejandra Jimenez as WBC World Champion and;

(2) order a bout between Ms. Crews-Dezurn and the highest rated available contender in the division for the WBC Female Super Middleweight World Championship.”

Gritted teeth masked with a mean-mugging demeanor is probably displayed from hardcore fight fans more than one would imagine. Crews-Dezurn reference in the WBC concluding statement, it infers that she would have to face the next qualifying opposition to win back a title that is rightfully hers.  Its ludicy but not an unexpected spreadsheet of complexity hallmarking the sport of boxing.   Several times over, these type of grainy boxing decisions pinches the reality decades running, absence of a single hierarchy, an a approving authority in determining the final reverence of compliance which is consistent with uniformity from top to bottom.