Filipino bantamweight boxing champions Nonito Donaire and John Riel Casimero are set to undergo random drug testing ahead of their unification bout at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Aug. 14.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) announced on Sunday in a tweet that both fighters have enrolled in VADA testing after a week full of controversies from both camps.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman likewise took to social media his sentiments on the issue.
"John Riel Casimero will fight our proud champion @filipinoflashNonito Donaire. Casimero enrolled in @WBCBoxing Clean Boxing Program in ay 2017 and has updated his whereabouts with @Vada_Testing, " tweeted Sulaiman. "It will be a great fight and we will not tolerate any foul language on any form."
READ: Donaire on Casimero: He's a tough guy but I can knock out anybody
The Donaire-Casimero bout has been the talk of the town in the boxing realm on social media for days now after Rachel Donaire, the manager, trainer, and wife of the WBC champion, called out Casimero's camp, including Sean Gibbons, the president of Manny Pacquiao promotions, to prepare the paperwork immediately for the testing.
Sans the VADA testing, Rachel expressed desire in a tweet Saturday that the Donaire camp is willing to walk away from the bout.
Lance Pugmire of The Athletic also received information that Donaire will withdraw from the bout "due to Casimero refusal to participate in drug testing," which was first reported by boxing insider Steve Kim.
Rachael continuously answered left and right queries, as well accusations and troll attacks on Twitter, either replying straight from its thread or quote replying the tweet.
Gibbons, for his part, responded to one of Rachael's tweet with a glimpse of VADA's Athlete Application form and asked her to "stop spreading your lies" on Casimero.
While Sulaiman himself is confident that the Donaire-Casimero bout will push through, the ongoing drama itself put the unification match in peril.
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Casimero, the WBO titleholder, was initially scheduled to fight regular WBA titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux but the latter reportedly stepped away to pave the way for the all-Filipino showdown.
Donaire, 38, is coming off an impressive knockout win over Frenchman Nordine Oubaali to claim the WBC belt and improve at 41-6 record with 27 knockouts last month while Casimero, 31, last saw action with an explosive finish over Ghanaian foe Duke Micah last September to climb at 30-4 slate with 21 KOs.