Red tape likely to delay NAC’s crackdown on drug cheats

Change doesn’t come easily among regulatory agencies.

As optimistic as some Nevada Athletic Commission members were that their new anti-doping policy would go into effect this fall, the reality is it might be December or January before the tougher rules can be implemented.

Upon hearing a report from the attorney general’s office at Thursday’s NAC meeting, the commission learned that several more steps must be taken before final approval can be given.

For starters, a workshop open to the public must be held to explain the changes. Once that is done, the entire package must go to the legislative council, which doesn’t meet until September, to review and make sure it doesn’t conflict with state law.

Then a public hearing must be held, notice of which must be posted in every Nevada library. At that time, more public comment will be heard before the legislative council signs off on the changes.

NAC chairman Francisco Aguilar was hoping the process could be expedited. But as long as the changes are approved, he can live with the delay.

“It’s disappointing that it’s taking this long,” Aguilar said. “We were hoping to get it done quickly. But that’s the way government works. In the long run, however, it’s going to be worth it once it gets approved.”

■ OFFICIALS SELECTED — Tony Weeks of Las Vegas was named the referee for Saturday’s welterweight main event between Adrien Broner and Shawn Porter at the MGM Grand Garden. The judges for the fight, which will be televised live on NBC, will be Dave Moretti and Adalaide Byrd of Las Vegas and Eric Cheek of Reno.

Kenny Bayless of Las Vegas will be the referee for the world light heavyweight title fight between Sergey Kovalev and Nadjib Mohammedi on July 25 at Mandalay Bay. Byrd, Robert Hoyle of Las Vegas and Steve Weisfeld of New York will be the judges for the HBO-televised fight.

■ ACTION AGAINST FIGHTERS — The commission suspended lightweight boxer Hector Marengo for one year and fined him $3,333 after he tested positive for the anabolic steroid Boldenone following his March 6 loss to Jamel Herring at the MGM Grand. The fine was 33 percent of Marengo’s $10,000 purse.

Also, the commission temporarily suspended lightweight Ray Beltran pending a disciplinary hearing in August after he tested positive for the steroid Stanozolol following his May 1 knockout over Takahiro Ao at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The commission rejected a request from Beltran attorney David Chesnoff to not suspend him temporarily and go right to the disciplinary hearing.

And the case involving John Molina was tabled until August after Molina’s attorneys asked for more time. He tested positive for the diuretic Furosemide after his loss to Broner on March 7 at the MGM Grand.

■ BKB3 — Big Knockout Boxing returns to Mandalay Bay on June 27 with the hybrid sport’s first heavyweight championship.

Julian Pollard and Tyrone Strong will meet in the seven-round main event of BKB3. A knockout will earn the winner a $30,000 bonus.

Light heavyweights Chris Spang and Samuel Horowitz will fight in the five-round co-feature.

BKB’s “HitChip” technology, which measures punching power and velocity, will be used for the second straight card. The fighter who throws the punch of the night and the hardest punch each will receive a $10,000 bonus.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.