“It’s unfortunate that those things are happening in the sport,” WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. chimed in on the current state of boxing after some of its bigger names like Andre Berto, Lamont Peterson, and most recently, Antonio Tarver, have tested positive for banned substances.
As if doping in boxing isn’t shameful enough, the long-running problem with corruption that grips the sport has led to public outrage and a significant decline in its status. And whether the incompetence in judging is tied into it, what little left of its credibility further diminishes each time judges get it wrong the way they did with Pacquiao-Bradley and Rios-Abril. And to make matters worse, boxing’s cash cow and poster child in America is behind bars for domestic violence sucking on tap water. Advertisement
Needless to say, boxing is in a terrible state. It’s not dead. Boxing will never die. It’s like a cat with nine lives stuffed with bad grass. It will find a way to survive. Not dead, but it is definitely in recession. Collectively, these are some of the most embarrassing times for the sport.
“I do feel the need to do my best knowing all these things are going on. That’s all I can do as a fighter,” a conscientious Donaire reflected on his role as one of boxing’s top fighter. “I can’t let my fans down, and the people that believe in me.”
It’s that same conviction that prompted him to be the first fighter to enroll in VADA’s (Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency) 24/7/365 drug testing, which allows Donaire to be tested for illegal substances in his system all year long. “As far as cheating and doping, something has to be done. I work hard. I do everything that I can. And I’m always willing to prove that I’m clean knowing that I’m with Victor,” said Donaire.
That Victor is none other than the infamous Victor Conte. Conte is the founder of the BALCO labs, which became synonymous to performance enhancing drugs at the turn of the century after his involvement with the likes of Barry Bonds, Shane Mosley and Marion Jones, who were in the center of FBI’s investigation on anti-doping.
Conte did his time behind bars and has chosen to clean up his act and help clean up boxing as well. But when Andre Berto, a fighter who subscribed to Conte’s supplements and conditioning regimen after his loss to Victor Ortiz last year, tested positive for the steroid norandrosterone last month, questions resurfaced regarding Conte’s credibility and involvement with boxers.
Conte claimed Berto had taken outside supplements without his knowledge after his injury that postponed his rematch with Ortiz last November, something Berto recently confirmed. But Donaire isn’t a bit concerned. “Victor is like a father to me, and I trust him,” he told me. “Usually before I even start, he runs blood tests to see what minerals and nutrients I’m low in, and usually Victor will find out if you’re in any substance at that time, and Berto was clean. I don’t know what happened to him after that.”
And as far as his career and how much higher he wants move up in weight, Donaire is optimistic, but uncertain.
“This is going to be the first fight that I really, truly worked hard. Usually I’d go 2 or 3 times a week, this time I’m there everyday. I’m taking this fight serious and see how I feel and hopefully I carry it on for the remainder of my career,” Donaire told me.
“However far I can reach; as far as I can reach. I want to push my body further, and beyond what I can do and see how it is. I can’t say I can go 130 or 135 or 140. I can’t say that. This might be my last weight, or 126 could be, or 130 could be, or I can go beyond that. One thing is I want to be able to present myself in the best possible weight as see if I can conquer those weights.”
