EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS
Call Floyd Mayweather Sr. the Mouth That Roared.
Don’t call him the Mouth That Bored.
Call him “a person of interest” because now, more than ever in the wake of the worldwide furor his charge that Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao is using or has used illegal steroids, the father of undefeated L’il Floyd remains a perpetual quote machine.
I spoke at length with “Pretty Daddy” Wednesday and he admitted that he’s reeling from his debilitating scarred lung condition, sarcoidosis (“it’s bad today), but he was still willing to discuss the Pacman on ‘roids allegations and even expanded his observations.
Right off the bat, I told Mayweather his remarks have really churned up a big controversy, including flat out denials from Pacman and his trainer and Floyd Sr. nemesis, Coach Freddie Roach.
Mayweather did not seem to appreciate the firestorm but told Examiner.com and Boxingconfidential.com that the resulting sparks don’t disturb him in the least.
“I don’t care, I don’t care about that,” Mayweather said. “What I said is what I said and I don’t care what kind of impact it has.
“No one pressed me to say it, I was talking and I brought it up. No one asked me if I thought Pacman is on steroids.”
Mayweather condeded he has no specific medical or scientific basis in making the allegations other observing an increase in Pacquiao’s physical size and punching power.
Mayweather said that Pacman’s “little helpers” could go beyond steroids, that other drugs might be involved in him getting stronger and more powerful in the ring.
I mentioned HGH, Human Growth Hormone, a natural substance which is illegal but for which there is no effective test.
(Marion Jones in track and field and ballplayer Andy Pettitte have admitted using HGH. Major League Baseball has said it institute urine sample testing for HGH once such a test is “scientifically validated.”)
It’s no secret many top boxers use or have used HGH.
No less a boxing expert than Johnny Bos said he thinks the use of HGH plus a blood doping technique known as EPO runs rampant in boxing.
Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield’s name has twice anonymously been linked to investigations of HGH and steroid use. Holyfield has steadfastly denied having any involvement in using either HGH or steroids.
“You see guys getting muscles suddenly in their face and their heads get bigger,” Bos said. “I think all the major players in boxing, especially older fighters, are using these things. It’s a veritable Fountain of Youth for them.”
Bos said he did not wish to name names.
Mayweather sticks to his position on Pacquiao’s physical growth.
“He got big fast and all of a sudden,” Mayweather said. “He looked so big even against a dehydrated de la Hoya. I don’t think all that is natural. I think he used something, I think he’s using or used supplements.
“Maybe that (HGH) is what it is, I don’t know. I am not sure exactly. But this guy is using something.”
(More, much more to follow from FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR.)
from DRUGS IN SPORT on Human Growth Hormone:
Human Growth Hormone (hGH)
HGH is a hormone that affects general growth. No research reports using human or animal subjects have shown it to be related to specific performance improvements. The most common hGH, somatropin, acts on bones and muscles non-differentially. It does not selectively respond to only those parts of the body that are stimulated (fatigued) by the specific training effects of swimming. At best hGH might facilitate quicker overall recovery from general fatigue. It is understood that in triathlons and swimming hGH is used in conjunction with anabolic steroids. The steroids provide specific adaptation effects and hGH possibly assists recovery. HGH affects growth rate, has very beneficial medical uses, and in sports is generally used to “grow” larger but not better-functioning athletes. There is some suspicion that in sports where size is important (e.g., basketball, football) hGH users suffer a higher rate of injuries. Long term effects of use in sports are not known.
FROM NATIONAL HEART, LUNG AND BLOOD INSTITUTE WEB SITE: What Is Sarcoidosis?
Sarcoidosis (sar-koy-DO-sis) is a disease of unknown cause that leads to inflammation. It can affect various organs in the body.
Normally, your immune system defends your body against foreign or harmful substances. For example, it sends special cells to protect organs that are in danger.
These cells release chemicals that recruit other cells to isolate and destroy the harmful substance. Inflammation occurs during this process. Once the harmful substance is destroyed, the cells and the inflammation go away.
In people who have sarcoidosis, the inflammation doesn’t go away. Instead, some of the immune system cells cluster to form lumps called granulomas (gran-yu-LO-mas) in various organs in your body.
