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INSIDE SPORTS- TIME FOR WORLD BOXING BODIES TO CHECK FIGHTERS WHO JUICE UP By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Thu, 18 Apr 2013  There is growing suspicion, muted though it may be, that more fighters are now on performance enhancing drugs based on the manner in which some fights have unfolded. We cannot understand why the various world boxing organizations ? the WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF cannot institute mandatory random drug tests at least for boxers involved in title fights. Promoters who stage the fights and the TV networks which shell out big money should also get in on the effort to clean up the sport by insisting on random drug tests. For these organizations to wash their hands off the issue and to tell us it all depends on the local commissions is unmitigated hogwash. After all, the boxers are fighting for world title fights sanctioned by the various governing bodies and not title fights put up by the different commissions. If these bodies don?t wish to rock the boat and allow this anomaly to continue then they too are party to a heinous crime and the ultimate death of the sport and fighters who will suffer the degenerative consequences of taking PEds. You must appreciate the fact that Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong fooled the authorities for seven long years and was only nailed when his teammates testified against him. That is unlikely to happen in boxing where only a small group of people know what is going on with a fighter. Former WBO, Ring Magazine and WBC super bantamweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire has set a sterling example by submitting himself to random drug testing all year round. If the ?Fighter of the Year? in 2012 chosen by the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America, ESPN, Yahoo, Ring and Boxing Scene as well as many other organizations recognized this fine young man by the award, we are sure his voluntary random drug testing was taken into consideration. Former WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria told us he is all for random drug tests and is willing to be tested just like Donaire. While we do not possess any concrete evidence of fighters taking performance enhancing drugs we have been amazed by some recent performances of fighters which simply went against the realities of the fight game. WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria lost a split decision to Mexico?s Juan Francisco Estrada at the plush Venetian last April 6 after Estrada appeared stronger in the later rounds and didn?t tire while throwing a steady barrage of punches. Viloria caught him with some good shots in the early rounds but while the sweat flew from his head, he never winced for a moment. These were the same shots that dropped one of the hardest punchers and toughest fighters in the flyweight division, Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez, three times before the referee stopped the bout in the 10th round last November in a fight card in Los Angeles. It was the same card where Estrada was beaten by WBA light flyweight champion Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez. Remember, that was a light flyweight bout and Estrada didn?t hurt Gonzalez who retained his title fairly comfortably with one judge, Barry Druxman, scoring the fight for Gonzalez 118-110 which is as lopsided as you can possibly get. Now, this same fighter moves up to a higher weight division against a champion who not only beat ?Tyson? Marquez but also hammered rugged Omar Nino Romero into submission in nine rounds and battered Ring?s No. 8 pound-for-pound fighter and devastating puncher Giovanni Segura to score an 8th round TKO, but takes his best shots and amazingly was in better shape at the end than he seemed to be at the beginning of the fight. Even former heavyweight champion ?Big George? Foreman told us Estrada was coming on strong in the later rounds and was a really strong puncher. While we are not accusing Estrada of violating the rules and juicing up, we want the world organizations to satisfy the desire of fighters and fans for an even and fair playing field by conducting random drug tests to ease growing concerns. Remember, Omar Nino Romero somehow salvaged a draw in a rematch with Viloria some years ago when doping was not as sophisticated as it is today, but in the usual post-fight medical check-up was found to have taken an illegal substance. It indeed raises serious questions about the sport and the action of world boxing bodies who in this case declared the fight a ?no contest? which clearly deprived Viloria of the title that should have been his. Anyway, he solved that problem by thrashing Omar Nino Romero in their third showdown in the Philippines. When WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes was held to a majority draw by another Mexican Moises Fuentes he hit him with everything he had but said his hands hurt because Fuentes was like a rock. Then there was Juan Manuel Marquez?s crushing 6th round knockout of Manny Pacquiao last December 8 in Las Vegas. Marquez failed to drop Pacquiao in their three previous fights while Manny dropped him four times. Suddenly a solidly muscular Marquez finds some extraordinary power when on the verge of being knocked out to connect with one thunderous right hand that knocked Pacquiao out cold. Where did this sudden surge of power come from and how did the physique change so dramatically? Is there some secret training method among Mexican fighters that give them an advantage? The prestigious New York Times on December 9, 2012 noted that Marquez "climbed into the ring looking less like a boxer and more like a bodybuilder. That in recent years he began to train with Angel Guillermo , an admitted steroids dealer who testified for the government in the Balco scandal and went by several names, fueled speculation. The difference in size and sculpture was too obvious to ignore. And this at 39." We've learned that Floyd Mayweather Jr and Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero have undergone random tests for performance enhancing drugs and come clean. This is a positive development for which these two great fighters must be commended. If Donaire, Viloria, Mayweather and Guerrero can do it and Manny Pacquiao has said he's willing to do it then why cant the others, unless they have something to hide? Its as simple as that.. We have suggested to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum that if ever Pacquiao fights Marquez again he should demand that both fighters undergo random drug tests. He agreed after the last Pacquiao fight. Whether it will happen only time will tell. We have suggested to the fine gentleman at ALA Promotions that if indeed Milan Melindo?s mandatory title shot against Estrada is approved, they should insist with the WBO that both fighters undergo random drug tests. Surely this isn?t too much to ask, or is it? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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