Kenichi Ogawa To Be Stripped Of IBF Super Featherweight Title
Kenichi Ogawa's world title win over Tevin Farmer last year will now be erased from the record books.
Ogawa failed a pre-fight drug test last year and has been suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for six months and will be stripped of his IBF super featherweight title. Ogawa won the then-vacant title on December 9 in Las Vegas with a controversial win over Farmer. As a result, Ogawa will also be fined $14,000, which is 20 percent of his $70,000 purse from that fight. Ogawa's suspension will end on June 9.
In a urine test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) on December 5. Ogawa tested positive for two forms of androstanediol, a synthetic testosterone. The results of Ogawa's drug test was not returned until after the fight, whose result changed from a split decision win in favor of Ogawa to a no contest. As part of the punishment, Ogawa has to also undergo additional drug testing if he ever decides to fight in Nevada again.
The title was originally vacant when Ogawa and Farmer fought last year due to former champion Gervonta Davis being stripped of the belt due to him missing weight in his last fight back in August. Now that the title is vacant once more, it appears that a fight between Farmer and Billy Dib ordered by the IBF as an interim title fight will now be elevated to an IBF title fight.
According to ESPN, once the IBF receives confirmation of the suspension order and the result change, IBF president Daryl Peoples said Ogawa will be formally stripped of the title.
