KIZER REVEALS COMPLAINT FOR USE OF PAIN-KILLER DRUG ISSUED AGAINST ‘CHANGO’ VARGAS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Feb 2010
The executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission Keith Kizer has confirmed that Mexico’s Manuel “Chango” Vargas, who fought WBA super flyweight interim champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire last February 13 at the Las Vegas Hilton, has “tested positive for hydrocodone and a complaint has been issued against him.”
Kizer told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that hydrocodone is an illegal or banned substance by the NSAC.
In answer to a query from us, Kizer said Vargas would be given a chance to refute the findings and ask for another test and that if the positive findings stand or are not contested, the Mexican boxer who was a last-minute replacement for Gerson Guerrero who was prevented from fighting because of a tear in the retina of his left eye, would face sanctions.
An internet description of Hydrocodone says the drug is available only in combination with other ingredients, and different combination products are prescribed for different uses. Some hydrocodone products are used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Other hydrocodone products are used to relieve cough.”
The drug is in a class of medications called opiate (narcotic) analgesics and in a class of medications called antitussives. Hydrocodone relieves pain by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain.
Donaire himself revealed that Vargas has tested positive for a “prescription pain-killer” during his post fight medical tests.
The former IBF/IBO flyweight champion who burst onto the boxing scene with a sensational 5th round, one punch knockout of Vic Darchinyan in July 2007 told us that “All I know is I kept hitting him and he was taking all the punches and those shots were really solid. I landed the punches and it was like he did not feel it. I didn’t think about it because the Mexican fighters are really tough anyway.” Donaire also said “I was hitting him with good counter rights and in the second round his mouth was open but I know he wasn’t tired and I know I dislocated his jaw.”
Donaire described what appeared to be a delayed knockdown in the third round as “an odd thing” and added “he was taking a lot of my punches and its probably because he didn’t feel it.”
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