What if it was true?

By Gerardo Granados: A friend of mine asked me, “what if it was true? What if he does use or have used performance enhancement drugs in the past to achieve greatness?” He said to me “others have done it in the past and no one find out”. I respond to him “well I believe a man should stand his ground and defend his reputation if he is innocent and not allow anyone to call him a cheater.”

He is a boxer who was a talented youngster, he had power but not the best defense, he became a young champion due his strength and aggressive boxing style. He had the average size of the fighters in his weight division, he started fighting at a lower weight division, now he is bigger and stronger but years ago he was faster.

I strongly believe that if a lie is so big and evident it will turn too difficult for many people to notice that they are been conned; the bigger the lie the more people will believe it is true.

When he became champion for the first time he did not earn money but he got fame and glory, he will be remembered when he won that first championship, back then he did not won a paper title championship, he was indeed proclaimed as the best after have defeated the best boxers that tried beat him.

His second championship gave him good money, now he was fighting at a different weight that fit him really good, he had grown bigger because of his age and he looked great fighting at a higher weight. He defeated a hall of fame member and one hall of fame candidate before moving up in weight once more time.

He end up moving up in weight but not only six pounds, and he managed to engage against some of the best in that weight division, he defeated a couple of past his prime hall of famers and future ones, he also lost to a hall of fame. Now he is a veteran fighter and has already defeated numerous organization champions.

When he was at his best no questions were made, no one thought he was cheating by using illegal performance enhancement drugs, but it was a then future hall of fame member who asked for extra test to fight him.

Later on accusations of use were made by fans but there was no solid evidence to prove he used it in the past and he did not came forward to take any extra test to prove he was clean, so the doubt seed was planted. The Evans Fields issue is not sufficient proof or evidence to accuse Evander Holyfield of have used performance enhancement drugs in the past, but it certainly brings suspicion of present usage, as I said suspicion but it does not proves the use.

But, what if it was true? Would his loyal fans turn his back on him? Would professional boxing be ruined? Would you be surprised? Would everything that he has achieve inside or outside the ring be tarnished and he would be considered as a fraud?

To live a life based on a lie, to cheat to earn money, glory and fame is repulsively malevolent, and all the succes achieved based on that lie will turn in to shame and dishonor when the fraud is uncovered. And the ones who participate as accomplishes will share the shame and dishonor as well.

A man is innocent until proven guilty, and to prove it you must offer solid evidence but if you can not reproduce the evidence and the accused wont clear things by taking a simple laboratory test to demonstrate the false accusations and exhibit his accusers as mere slanderers, then what can be done to discover the truth?

A friend of mine believes he does use performance enhancement drugs based on the Evan Fields rumor, I believe his physical performance is what makes him look suspicious because it is supposed that he should have clear diminished boxing skills, but some athletes are blessed by god with outstanding physical abilities.

So, what do you believe?