Franchón Crews-Dezurn will have to settle for getting back one belt while having to fight for the other.

One day after being reinstated as the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight queen, the World Boxing Council (WBC) took a different course of action in the aftermath of her controversial loss to Mexico’s Alejandra Jimenez.

Their January title fight remains mired in turmoil, less for its disputed ending—with Jimenez (13-0-1, 9KOs) claiming a split decision win and two belts with it—than for the drug testing results surrounding the event.

A pre-fight sample submitted by Jimenez to testers contracted by Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) on January 10 showed an adverse finding for the banned substance stanozolol. Because the test result wasn’t discovered until January 24, their fight proceeded as planned live on DAZN from The Alamodome in San Antonio. The finding resulted in a suspension issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) in addition to changing the outcome from a win for Jimenez to a No-Decision.

From there came independent investigations conducted by the WBO and WBC. While the WBO wrapped up its investigation on Tuesday, the WBC hasn’t quite put this matter to bed.

“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.”

Crews-Dezurn and Golden Boy Promotions have already filed a formal protest in efforts to have her title reign restored. The Baltimore native won the strap in September 2018, making one successful defense last September before falling just short versus Jimenez. Given the circumstances surrounding the fight, the right call would be to return the belt to its original claimant, as was the case with theWBO.

“Justice has been served,” Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy told BoxingScene.com of the WBO ruling. “This is the correct decision to make on behalf of the WBO to reinstate Franchón Crews-Dezurn as its super middleweight champion. It is always great to see justice in action, especially in this sport.”

The justice is a little bit slower on the WBC side, who’ve instead offered an alternate solution.

“[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.”

The next current highest rated contender is Alicia Napoleon, a former unified titlist from Long Island. Of course, any such availability is a moot point, as the entire sporting world is shut down in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. 

As for Jimenez, a slim ray of hope remains. After having her “B” sample tested last month, she is now left with a 14-day window of opportunity to appeal the otherwise final decision made by the WBO while also continuing to wait out the WBCs findings.

“Once the investigative and adjudicative process of Ms. Jimenez’ adverse finding is concluded, then the WBC will determine Ms. Jimenez’ definitive status in the WBC and in her division,” notes the WBC.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox