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Documents show Antonio Tarver tested positive for two substances

Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver's positive drug test before his Aug. 14 fight with Steve Cunningham was for two different banned substances, according to documents just obtained by SI.com.

Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver's positive drug test before his Aug. 14 fight with Steve Cunningham was for two different banned substances, according to documents just obtained by SI.com. The failed drug test was first reported by SI.com in October.

The documents were provided to SI.com by attorney Pat English, who has been hired to represent Cunningham.

On a test collected August 11, Tarver’s results were “consistent with [the] exogenous origin of testosterone and 5a-androstanediol metabolite,” according to the documents.

On a test collected August 14th, Tarver’s results were “consistent with the exogenous origin of testosterone and metabolites (5a and 5b-androstanediol),” according to documents.

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Tarver, 47, who also works as an analyst for Spike TV, has denied taking any illegal substances.

The tests were administered by the Salt Lake City-based Sports Medicine Research & Testing (SMRTL).

While the first test was collected three days before the fight, a report was not filed by SMRTL until September 18. Basic steroid panels take four to five days, according to sources familiar with testing procedures. Almost all tests can be completed within 10 days.

Lou DiBella, who promoted the Tarver-Cunningham fight in Newark, N.J., which was part of manager Al Haymon’s time-buy series, told SI.com, “My understanding from the [testing] people, they indicated this was a normal course of time [for the results]. When I got the results, I reported them to the New Jersey commission immediately.”

Despite being presented with overwhelming evidence, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, which has been aware of the positive results since mid-September, has issued no public discipline of Tarver to this point.

“We’re pissed. It’s wrong,” said Cunningham’s wife, Livvy, who is her husband’s manager. “Tarver is a disgrace to the sport. He should not be boxing or working in boxing. He disrespected the sport. We’re discussing the situation with Pat and seeing what our options are. We want to see what the precedence is for this type of things. This is a major black eye on the sport. He’s messing it up for everyone."