By Jake Donovan

For the second time in as many fights, a notable win by Lamont Peterson has been followed by a negative light cast up on the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission as it pertains to drug testing.

Only this time, there appears to be more to a story that for the moment remains largely unconfirmed.

Post-fight drug results for Peterson’s 8th round stoppage of Kendall Holt last month in D.C. have become a topic of contention in the past week. Recent results confirm such suspicions, as the results suggest that “a male boxer” was tied to “atypical findings” of hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin).

Both camps as well as representatives from the IBF – whose title was at stake – and the D.C. Boxing Commission declined comment on the subject.

Talks of the fight and its drug tests – with samples submitted to a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-affiliated laboratory in Utah - resurfaced over the weekend, when the IBF and representatives from Holt’s camp repeatedly questioned why the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission had yet to release such results.

The response from the commission tied into privacy rights, that not all governing bodies share the same practice. Records for fights that take place in Nevada, for example, are open to the public, whereas such records are regarded as confidential in D.C. and other states.

Peterson (31-1-1, 16KO) officially offered his consent on Wednesday, at which point records were immediately sent to the appropriate parties. The D.C. commission had offered test results verbally and through e-mail prior to that point, claiming that both fighters tested negative for all known banned substances.

Holt (28-6, 16KO) offered his written consent on March 22.

There exists for the moment a drastic conflict in such results, though one to which all parties are obtaining proper documentation before electing to speak on the subject. 

HCG in its purest form is a hormone produced by a fertilized egg once a woman is impregnated. It has been used as a fertility drug and carries the ability to stimulate testosterone. In more recent times, it has become a popular means for weight-loss, though such practices have been declared by the FDA as fraudulent and illegal for over-the-counter sales.

The latter description also falls in line with why several fighters have tested positive for banned substances in recent times. 

Peterson had previously sat on the sidelines after testing positive for synthetic testosterone, which came up during random pre-fight drug testing conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) for a planned rematch with Amir Khan last May. The rematch was canceled upon such test results, as were plans for a sequel between Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto, who was busted by the same organization during random pre-fight testing.

Peterson topped Khan by split decision in a Dec. 2011 fight marred in controversy, though mostly to do with the officials used as well as notable ringside distractions. The fight once again caught headlines for all of the wrong reasons when Peterson admitted to taking medical injections for testosterone in Oct. 2011, prior to the Khan fight.

Both fighters tested negative for any drugs following their fight, which only called to question the faulty nature of drug testing conducted by most commissions, including that in D.C.

Despite the turnout, Peterson remains an advocate of random drug testing and agreed to have a WADA-affiliated lab examine their post-fight drug test samples. The samples were sent to a lab in Utah, after which the results were submitted to the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission more than two weeks ago.

Despite unconfirmed reports to the contrary, neither Peterson nor Holt were specifically named in any drug test results officially released by the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission. It remains unclear which fighter tested positive, and to what extreme.

Peterson is currently in training for a planned May 18 showdown with Lucas Matthysse in Atlantic City. Ironically, the date marks exactly 52 weeks following the planned May 19, 2012 date for Peterson’s eventually canceled rematch with Khan.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board, Yahoo Boxing Ratings Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox