Kenichi Ogawa stripped of junior lightweight title, suspended until June 9 for synthetic testosterone

Japan's Kenichi Ogawa has been suspended six months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, stripped of his IBF junior lightweight world title, and the result of his latest fight has been changed to a no-contest for failing a pre-fight drug test in December.

Ogawa (22-1, 17 KO's), 30, of Japan, initially outpointed Tevin Farmer (25-4-1, 5 KO's), 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in a very controversial split decision to win the vacant IBF 130-pound world title in an HBO-televised bout on Dec. 9 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. However, Ogawa tested positive for two forms of androstanediol (synthetic testosterone) in a urine test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association on Dec. 5. The results of the test were not known until after the fight.

Ogawa passed his post-fight drug test, but his A and B samples of his pre-fight drug test came back positive.

Ogawa denies knowingly ingesting a banned substance.

“As a professional athlete, I should have known better. If you can forgive me, I hope to get back into the ring,” he said.

Sources tell FightNights.com that Ogawa’s skin condition may have triggered the positive result, with the boxer having submitted the medication in question to the commission.

Ogawa will be eligible to fight again on June 9.

Farmer, on the other hand, will get another shot at a world title.

"I want to start off by thanking God and the NSAC for rectifying the Ogawa steroid controversy. I am happy to announce that my loss has been changed to a no contes!!" Farmer exclaimed on Instagram. [I] want to thank everyone who supported me through all of this and I promise that I will not let it happen again. I'm more focused than ever and the hunger is real. Billy Dib must go. And anyone else who stands in my way."

Farmer will take on former featherweight world titleholder Billy Dib (43-4, 24 KO's) for the title. Dib, who hails from Australia, is 3-3 in world title fights.

Both sides have until May 3rd to negotiate a deal.