Why is performance enhancement drugs talk becoming more common in pro Boxing?
June 2nd, 2011
By Gerardo Granados: Not only in professional Boxing but in all professional or amateur sports this has been occurring and it is not enough reason to look the other way and wait until some one do something to solve it. We all know that an athlete will reach his peak and then his physical performance will decline due to his age, injuries or due the high work rate of competition and will naturally diminish his physical ability.
There are anabolic steroids (medicines: androstenedione, ephedrine, stanozolol and nandrolone just to mention a few) for humans and even for animal use, human growth hormone (HGH, somatrotopine), and design laboratories drugs (tetrahydrogestrinone – THG) that have been used to improve the performance of athletes, but even some food supplements are banned; the hyperbaric chambers could be considered as a non natural way to increase your performance in some cases.
The use of performance enhancement drugs gives an illicit advantage to the user, it is shameful and disgraceful, and in some cases it could be even a coward attitude to take that illicit edge on your opponent.
Some argue that PEDS wont give you the skills but they do will give you extra strength, stamina, resistance, speed and power, so if I am a fighter who has average boxing skills I might be able to improve my physique so much that I could end up beating guys who are better naturally gifted than me and even also the ones who are more skilled than me.
There are medical symptoms related to the abuse of steroids and also are different criteria in the tests used to detect his use by the different sports leagues or sports disciplines, urine or blood test are the most common, but there is no doubt that confessed users have been successful cheating different tests by long periods of time no matter which was the test that they took.
What about the obvious signs of its use? If I am forty years old and have not exercise my self in over five years, then I am not expected to be able to get back in top shape in just a couple of months of training, but if I use supplements or even get extra help from banned substances I might be able to reach my goal, and the results might look suspicious.
If a boxer who starts to show signs of aging or have showed to start diminishing his physical abilities just for the sudden looks incredibly dominant in his next fight defeating a younger lion who was the huge favorite we all might think that he won because of his vast experience and because he really did a good preparation for that fight. But what if he keeps on improving? If instead of showing signs of deterioration he looks even better than when he was a youngster? Now he looks stronger and faster, and his power is even better, is this fighter a freak of nature? Or is this a sign that will make some suspect he is cheating?
Money could be a factor too; a multi million dollar purse might be able to tempt some fighters to cheat.
Marion Jones was never detected by test during his prime but she confessed to have used PEDS, others athletes had admitted to have used them in the past, so professional boxing can not be the exception.
The Evan Fields issue, Shane Mosley, James Toney, Roy Jones Jr., Fernando Vargas, does this names rings a bell? Just to name a few that might be examples of the reason of why boxing fans are talking about the performance enhancement drugs use nowadays. Some fans wonder if a certain boxer use PEDS, others fans accuse a boxer without any prove, on times fighters are defamed but no one has the certitude to affirm or to deny the use, and less to prove it and that motivates a rumor to spread.
Is it possible that a boxer can be born with outstanding physical attributes that puts him above the majority of his peers, there are some great fighters that have been gifted by nature with amazing endurance, strength, stamina, power, speed or an iron chin, others have a special charisma and magnetic personality; is it possible to doubt any great fighter that might come in the near future and think that his remarkable performance is the result of use of PEDS?
What are boxing organizations doing about this? They must be aware of this situation and measures might have been taken in the past but is it necessary to take forward actions to prevent the use of PEDS and to protect the boxers that fight clean? Professional boxing is a business and a sport, but it is different to other professional sports such as body building, base ball or tennis because those are not contact sports and its goal is not to defeat his opponent by using fighting techniques. Lets say that a marathon runner use PEDS he will cheat by doing so and also will become a crook but he wont risk the life of his opponents by doing it; in amateur or professional boxing if a contender use PEDS he will put in risk the health and life of his opponent, he will not be considered only as a cheater but also could become a murdered. And if the Boxing organizations don’t do anything to avoid this, they could be considered as accomplishes too for allowing those boxers to be able to cheat the test of control of use of PEDS.
Does boxing need more effective and strict methods to detect the use of PEDS? I believe the logical answer is yes, because the men and women that climb in to the ring to fight are risking his health and life, and they deserve by all means necessary to be protected from those who treacherously cheat by using this banned substances. This duty might be shared with the prize fighters, sports journalist and boxing fans because it is them who can demand that the boxing organizations improve their test to avoid any unnecessary risk on the health or life of the clean fighters.
Perhaps this issue wont go away by its own and might get bigger in a short lapse of time although the fact that it is been talked around will contribute to actions be taken to fix this problem once and for all.
71 Responses to “Why is performance enhancement drugs talk becoming more common in pro Boxing?”
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thats something we all can agree on. the commissions must enforce stricter rules. the commissions and not any boxer who just makes use of it as an escape. pacquaio has been clear ever since this started that if it was the Nevada boxing commission that requires RBT then he will accept that requirement.
fight in courtroom is much more fun to monitor than Pac and May actually fights in the ring. What?! you want to watch another Mosley marathon? dont forget. Mayweather is good at it! evading punches but he definitely cant evade the law.
I don’t see why people are asking question like this. Look at the MLB..NFL and all other major sports even Olympic swimming for goodness sake. This is a major problem for all sports not just boxing and it should be taken serious with all sports not just boxing. I don’t know why people question it and think people should be supporting stricter testing especially in MMA and Boxing because when your in those sports your in the “pain game” or “hurt business”. Your job is cause damage to an opponent and if your on PED’s your increasing the amount of damage you can cause. I don’t question any one no matter who in any sport that supports strict testing that’s truth being told.
oh thats the reason why floyd has such a big head.
because the drug testing in boxing is a joke
HGH side effects: growth of bones… (Paquiao’s Head Bones…!).
Boxing is one of the easiest professional sports to use PEDS without getting cought
Olympic standard blood tests are necessary in boxing, before and after a fight and more importantly Ramdom Blood tests
Floyd is physicaly not fit better to him not to fight.
do you talk to yourself this much everyday? you think people do not know it is still only YOU!
Floydiots are really into something….
you are only fooling yourself, please stop. you are making me laugh to hard it hurts!
@tests……. Any boxer has the right to dicatate whatever he wants. Manny dictates catch weights 10 mill per pound clauses has mosley taking blood tests for there fight and he has the right to. Floyd can dictate whatever he wants as can any other fighter out there. If they think they need stronger testing its there right to do so. Tired of people making excuses when manny dictates his own rules but issue when others ask for stuff.
@ FIREFOX @ ANONYMOUSE
PLEASE TELL ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE IF MY POST WAS NOT FACTUAL AND SHOW EVERYONE HOW FULL OF IT I AM INSTEAD OF JUST BARKING FROM BEHIND THE FENCE
IS MY POST FACT OR NOT AND PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER
in many sports where there are millions of dollars to be made .and the athlethes give there health blood sweat and tears.dedicate most of there lives and the pressure to win is so great .esp a sport like boxing if your number 10 in the world your consider a bum. if your the number ten basketball player in the world your great whos the number 10 light heavyweight in the world?and some one comes along and says your good but not good or big enough .but take this pill or needle your injuries will go away you make millions. you will live in big houses your family will be set youll be loved by the public.perfomance enhancing drugs are here to stay
The guy calling himself mommy d now will soon change his name. He is zrdx and about 20 other persons on here! His only claim to fame is he calls everyone a floydidiot! hahaha….
Obviously you do not have any education at all or you would not be on here 24/7 calling everyone a “floydidiot’! You are the idiot if there ever was one! Turn off your computer and get a life looser!
I hate when people jack a name….do your own thing, stop swagga jackin, and stay off another dudes knutz…
I am totally agree. Now we need to change the BOXING COMMISSIONER’S rules and regulations on how to test the boxers before the fight. Until they made the changes no Boxer has the right to inforce or dictate the testing procedures. period.
You never had a worthy argument to begin with, so shut yer pie hole..
You aholes will never be happy with anything I do. You hypocrites said that I would never fight Mosley too! Why dont you retarded flips just stfu before I go over there to your third world nation and take you off your daddy’s computer and smack you with it!
if mayweather had beaten cotto paul williams margarito and was now facing martinez I would say he just doesnt want to fight a former bantam weight pacquia using performance enhancing drugs. but mayweather faced none of those guys .instead he chose to temporily retire .so he didnt have to face them . I will admit they were a rough bunch.they since have been softend up and dont seem as dangerous as they once were .even if mayweather gets up the courage to face and beat pac he never fought the gauntlet of contenders at welter weight and if he wants to be called great let him at welter weight go up fight martinez like welter weights ray leonard and carmine bissilio did when they fought and beat middle weight marvin hagler and ray robinson then we could have and would have said floyd mayweather feared no one in his weight
@Anonymous!!! floyd fan din’t forget to take his medicine, he tooks a lot more than he needs thats why he his dilirious!!!
You can’t balme floydiots they’re just the same as the crackhead clan mayweather. Who the hell will believe that pacquiao took A side Meth!? what the FU was that.
@floyd fan
Hey floydiot fan, PLEASE DONT FORGET AGAIN TO DRINK YOUR MEDS..
people really need to get off of mannys nuts. People get killed in this sport. It should have the strictest tests of any sport. Mosley never tested positive but has used hgh as we all know. Marion jones never tested positive . U need random drug tests in this sport for the safety of these father brothers husband and children of someone. This is a boxing thing not a manny or floyd thing. Easy to say they dont need it when ur not the one getting your head beat it. Canada is starting to make this manditory. I guess it will take a few more dead boxers in america befor it is made manditory by the states.
i’ll say it again and again RBT is not the best way to duck a fight, it will cause you a defamation law suit, the best now is ask for $100m, for sure no one will pay you!!!
@sam
BIG NOSE said he’s spanish, and you sam says you’re british. i don’t get it why some filipinos like you hates your race so much.
you should be proud whoever you are and don’t pretend to be someone else, it’s pathetic.
by the way, “british” don’t call themselves “british”, they are called “brits”, it’s short for “britons”, and they don’t use the word “white” when referring to their race, they use the word “caucasian”
go back to school you dude!
@No test no fight!!! Manny already agreed to the test while fighting till six rnd…$100m is the new demand and its the best way to duck a fight…kwak!kwack!kwak!kwak!!!
For the last time, take the test pedboy…
@Sean!!! sounds like a broken record and theres no way to fix it, ehehe!!!
@Sean,,,shut up you know nothing about Peds! all you feel is jealous and envyness and it makes you sick brother!
@ZDRX; for the last time…Manny agreed in the 3rd so-called negotiations.The first time he balked at the idea,the second time Arum gave Floyd a midnight deadline.Stop saying Manny agreed the second time it was the 3rd time!
These floydiots never learn…
Pacquiao is just good like that. I feel, the man is a natural born warrior with a big heart. Pacquiao says he has not done any of ped’s, I believe him and his team. So, screw all of you that think other wise.
A side meth what a crock of $h!t. Tell me another one.
he was offered the fight and the test and he ran for the hills*****
pound for pound king, undefeated,true champion FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.
pacman the catchweight champ.
its all there in black and white, you just don’t wanna read it.
There is a certain boxer known to be injecting XYLOCAINE to numb his hands. This is another way of enhancing performance. If a boxer cannot bear the pain on his hands in a boxing fight, and depends on a chemical substance in order to perform well, then that is a Performance Enhancement Drug or PED. This is the reason why some states consider this illegal. If boxing councils are really going to be strict on this issue with PEDs, then all states including Nevada should not allow the use of this substance. Would anyone know who this “Xylocaine Cheater” is?
rodger
The only reason oscar said sorry was cause he knew it would earn him millions by doing so, u don’t suddenly change ur mind about something like that without good reason.
pacman can earn 20milion a fight, beating old men up and cheating and looking good in the process why would he wanna take the test against mayweather and lose? get real pacman was offered the test and he ran for the hills. thats a fact.
To All who hate Pacman
Oscar de la Hoya and all GBP accused Pacquiao before of using drug. now he ask forgiveness because Pacman is clean and he is the one who go to rehab.Pacman forgive him. Mayweather must do the same. just tell Jr to fight Pacman on the ring so people around the world will see who is the best between this two Warrior. I like Pacman when he is inside the ring the way he throw his left/right combo and footwork. In singing concert I better watch cartoon in tv.Mayweather have a good defense. I dont know how Pacman will get into that defense.Hope to see it happen.So Jr sell Tshirt or fight Pacman
Manny Pacquiao was cleared buy Nevada boxing Commision of drug use after Mosley fight because of some dirty tactics who hate Pacquiao.I dont know maybe he offer Pacquiao drug and Pacquiao refused.Uscar de la Hoya, Hatton and Gusman all handle by Mayweather before all of them go to rahab for me Pacquiao must request for randoom blood test if Jr will agree to fight Pacman.
100 days before the fight 3 times/15 tube a day.Pacquiao no need to fight Jr. He can just wait next March if the defamation charge
file by Pacquiao will favor him.Hope Jr must sell more t-shrt no-test-no-fight.Manny must sell t-shirt also I will request the title. NO FIGHT JR OK BUT DEFAMATION MONEY MORE OK
@Ely de Guzman – u should learn to read
“Just to name a few that might be examples of the reason of why boxing fans are TALKING about the performance enhancement drugs use nowadays.”
PEDs.
I love watching pacquiaos big bud evrytime she fights.:)
@ely de guzman how can u show proof if u dont do the proper screening this is an era in sports history were steroids are more common and advanced and its up to the commision to enforce it. And if they did u will see alot of guys getting there license suppended.
Because like in any other sport, Boxers are getting bigger, faster and stronger and are hiring other sport trainers. Because Steroid technology has advance faster than any boxing drug testing. There’s way to much money not to cheat today.
the dirty secret is nobody cares if these fighters die or get disabled by using PEDS … this is the risk for becoming millionaires .. high risk, high reward .. they chose this path and we salute … we fight fans just want to see good fights … so to floyd, jus go back to amateur boxin, ul be protected
@you know its true
and a white man gave it to them. don’t forget james toney was was trained by freddy roach at the time of him being on steroids and he admitted that he knew about it. don’t believe me, google it. that alone makes him and pac suspect.
I bet Hear’s the thing knows a lot about PEDs because he usses them in da bed!!! hahaha
people who get caught arent using the designer steroids and getting good advice on how to fool the tests. so of the few who get caught, they will mostly be from poorer backgrounds.
Mr. Gerardo Granados, you said that using steroids are very common in boxing nowadays. But you forgot to say that using steroids are all accusation only by a fighter who lost from a fighter perform well during their fight? Now why are you saying that ped is very common nowadays in boxing? where is you proof? what is your basis? I’m just wondering if all writers of this website are educated people. they don’t know how to separate the rumor/accusation from fact. Hope the next time you write an article there is a logic behind your writeup.
wtf…there is no test that works. recently a test was conducted on olympic athletes, of which they were certain at least 50 percent were using (weight lifters and such) only 2-3 tested postitive and one of them turned out to be a false positive. TESTING DOESNT WORK. its just a taunt, a game….
Black athletes have no sportsmanship.
The issue isn’t who is using PEDS. The more important issue is what kind of test is 100% foolproof so that the cases like Marion Jones, Shane, Vargas, Armstrong, etc won’t be repeated. If Manny submit for a test today and is found clean, the dark rumours spread by the Mayweathers will still not go to rest. They and Pachaters will again claim the test was faulty. It’s a never ending story if truth is being twisted intentionally.
hopkins weight drained to get to 160…so he probably walked around weighing 170-175. what he fights at now. theres no evidence. packy fought at 125 at 23 years old. he weight drained and walked around at about 135. ten years later he fights at 145 without weight draining. theres just no evidence. bonds went from 185 to 240 in 2 years. you dont need a test to tell hes cheating.
Blah Blah… why can’t concerned sports fans do make a petition to the commissioner/or sports authority to address this issue?
Whoever leads this cause, everyone will agree and support it.
But I don’t like this roid/ped issue is now conveniently used to taunt opponents. Yeah, Mayweather keeps nagging ‘take the test’. Pascal copied it. Berto took a bit of it. Extreme fanatics of the fighters perverts it by talking irresponsibly everywhere.
OLYMPIC STYLE TESTING DOESNT WORK. THERE IS NO TEST THAT DOES. this is not my opinion, its what the experts say. armstrong got away with it for years…and the tests he took were much stricter than olympic style testing. THE TESTS ARE EXTREMELY INACCURATE. there is no way to clean up any sport until a better test is developed.
What a post! Great read!
When i said that, i wasn’t talking about the name ^ LOL
@ rey,
You must be living in a era where gladiators are dominating the arena. hehehe
go figbt maximus.
easy “black boxers” are hiding their insecurities. look at the famous “black amercan athletes” that have gotten caught: marion jones, barry bonds, sugar shane….need i go on?
You ever heard the phrase “who ever smelt it, delt it?” I truely belive that.
@jalapeño Joe
What part of WORLD CHAMPIONS SEVERAL TIMES OVER, do you not understand? It’s not about being superman, but would those fighters have had the same level of success without PED’s. Get a clue.
@ rey
you should do the negative side effects of peds use and you saying that you think they should make peds legal is kind of ignorant.7 ppl die on average a year now if peds where made legal a lot more deaths would occur this is a sport and should be treated like one I think some ppl lose sight of that and only want to see blood
Good read! But it seems too many people are giving Mayweather credit, for this whole debate on PED’s. Pacquiao deserves some of the credit too, afterall it was his reaction to Mayweather’s proposal that really started the debate. Think about it, if Pacquiao just agrees to the simple demand, the fight would have already taken place, and maybe we are watching a trilogy between the two fighters by now. Unless that is, your a conspiracy theorist who believe Mayweather asking for more stringent testing, was just his way of ducking Pacquiao.
Pac already agreed to RBT. new way out is $ 100 mil so that he will go running around the whole fight. Thank You Mosley for showing us the outcome. Am not interested on this fight anymore. The lawsuit is much more fun to monitor.
hahha. bunch of losers are here…..
Pascal fought hopkins,Berto fought Ortiz,peds came out,excuses,Mayweather not fighting Pacquiao,peds came out,ducking.
It’s kinda funny, everyones been saying, that Floyd ain’t do nothing to clean up the sport…But 2 years later the ” PEDs in Boxing” buzz is getting louder and louder, maybe to the point of an overall resolution of better testing policies and procedures for governing bodies, and athletic commissions….maybe in the end Floyd would have done what he said…
He lit the match, walked away, and now the fire is burning hot
all professional boxing should have as thourou drug test as the Olympics or at least amature boxing. not having drug test in a 1v1 sport especially a sport where on average 7 ppl die a year is ignorant.
You made peds a big deal,did Toney,Vargas,mosley and Jones knocked somebody brutaly that they went straight to the hospital?If there is no end of debate about detecting peds why dont they legalize it to make the playing field even so that no more ducking or excuses.
i agree totally. TAKE THE TEST MANNY!!!
Like seriously, for real…. If they were to make stricter testing, I’m all for it, but accusing people without proof is sad. Berto should be more concern about him making them videos before the fight, trying to be like Floyd. Thats probably one reason why he lost. Now he really trying to be like Floyd!! LOL!!
This is just getting nerve-wrecking, ALL BROTHERS too!!