Antonio Silva will have more than just his opponent to contend with if he decides to accept an offer from World Victory Road’s Sengoku to fight Yoshihiro Nakao on Jan. 4 in Saitama, Japan.

California State Athletic Commission Assistant Executive Officer Bill Douglas notified the American Top Team heavyweight by mail on Tuesday that Silva’s license could be revoked if he chooses to fight outside the state’s jurisdiction while under suspension for alleged steroid use.

If Silva fights, Douglas said he’d recommend that the commission vote to revoke the Brazilian’s license at a Feb. 10 hearing in accordance with California’s Business and Professions Code. The commission could agree to revoke Silva’s license for one-year increments until it votes to reinstatement him, not revoke the license, or alter his suspension.

A revocation will be filed with the National Suspension Registry recognized by the Association of Boxing Commissions, which is currently comprised of 82 commissions and regulatory bodies throughout North America.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer said a license revocation from another state would be honored in his jurisdiction.

In addition, any licensee that aids Silva in violating his suspension will be subject to disciplinary action from the CSAC, said Douglas.

Silva was reprimanded by the CSAC for one year after allegedly testing positive for Boldenone following his July 26 contest against Justin Eilers at an EliteXC event in Stockton, Calif.

The fighter has vehemently denied taking the banned substance.

Silva, his manager Alex Davis, and world-renowned doping attorney Howard Jacobs appealed the fighter’s sentence at a CSAC hearing on Oct. 22 in Los Angeles, but five commissioners unanimously upheld the suspension through July 27, 2010.

Davis said the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Brazilian has yet to sign a contract for the bout with Nakao, though the matchup is being considered. Davis said Silva’s lawyers are also not convinced the CSAC has the power to further penalize the fighter outside of the Golden State.

“If Antonio does fight in Japan, it will be for financial reasons,” Davis told Sherdog.com via email. “We should not forget, Antonio is innocent, and the CSAC has not given him a fair hearing, and also did not ask us to, or let us provide further evidence that could prove this.”

Douglas said he hopes Silva will sit out the remaining six months of his suspension, rather than risk a heftier punishment for fighting out of state.

Continued at Sherdog...

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