By Steve Lewis: Junior welterweight contender Paulie Malignaggi, who has an upcoming rematch against Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz this coming Saturday in Chicago, IL, has made some noise again all over the internet over his “speculation” and “opinion” that WBO Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao is under the influence of performance enhancing drugs, despite numerous reports that Pacquiao had tested negative after his Nov. 14 bout with Miguel Cotto.

During an interview on the Boxing Truth Radio with Ricardo Lois and John Chavez, Malignaggi stated, after being asked about Manny Pacquiao:

“Look at what Manny is doing. He is absolutely crushing world-class killers. And here he is, this little midget.”

“He gets a broken eardrum and yet, he is walking around afterwards like he was dodging spitballs. There are things (drugs?) out there than can do that.”

“You’re hiding under a rock if you can’t see what I am talking about. This is a guy who was life and death with Juan Manuel Marquez at 120 pounds and now, he’s got 15 to 17 pounds of muscle on him. Look at how short he is. He didn’t get taller, did he?”

Now, I am not a chemist or a biologist, but I have seen and heard of the various symptoms and side effects of someone who is on steroids or performance enhancing drugs. Does Pacquiao fir the profile? Here are the typical signs:

* Unusually greasy hair or oily skin (Pacquiao does not appear to be any more greasy or oilier than Malignaggi).

* Acne breakouts in the shoulder and back area (even watching on HD, I don’t recall seeing any on Pacquiao).

* Hair loss or receding hairline (if anything, Pacquiao’s hair seems to be getting wilder and bushier).

* Increased thickness and length of body hair (other than Pacquiao’s scraggly beard, I don’t see much body hair on him).

* Abnormally excessive development of the breast tissue (Pacquiao’s never really been noted for his pecs, but rather for his massive calves and those shark-like gills underneath his chest).

* Increased aggression or irritability (other than in the squared circle, Pacquiao is as nice as they come, signing autographs for hours, etc. He’s not exactly noted as being a “snarler.” He smiles, waving at the crowd when he marches into the ring, for crying out loud.)

* Disrespectful or abusive behavior (Pacquiao never trash talks and always remains diplomatic, even towards his opponents).

* Extreme mood swings (Pacquiao is known to be a happy-go-lucky kind of guy).

* Almost cartoonish muscle growth (Pacquiao has never been considered a “big” guy. The guy is cut like hell, but he does not have a crazy bodybuilder-type physique. In his climb from 126 to 130 to meet Erik Morales, Pacquiao was the seen as the “smaller” man. In his climb from 130 to 135 against David Diaz, Pacquiao was the “smaller” man. In his climb to 140 to meet Ricky Hatton, Pacquiao was the “smaller” man. In his climb to 145 to meet Cotto, Pacquiao was the “smaller” man).

* Unusual increase in the size of the head – literally, not figuratively (money & fame will do that, but look at Major League Baseball’s Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire. Their noggins literally got bigger. Barry Bonds’ hat size reportedly increased by 4 sizes! Pacquiao’s head appears to be the same).

* Uncharacteristic increase of power/stamina (Pacquiao has always been noted as a puncher with “pop.” He was not some feather-fist who developed power out of nowhere, like Bret Boone of Major League Baseball, who became a homerun hitter out of nowhere. When Pacquiao started out as a jr. flyweight pro, Pacquiao ended his fights with a KO or TKO within 5 rounds or less in 15 of his first 25+ fights. He knocked down the Mexican triumvirate of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez at least 11 times, maybe more if not for ropes holding them up or the bell saving them. Numerous sparring partners have reportedly been sent home packing, with birds still flying around their heads. The guy obviously does not get called a “Tropical Storm” or a “Typhoon” because of all the wind that he blows).

So none of these common warning signs seem to be applicable to Pacquiao. This is a guy, after all, who is even hesitant to take an Advil, let alone, steroids.

It’s a silly accusation. Steroids or not, a perfectly placed punch to a precise spot on the chin will still knock you down, if not out! And Malignaggi’s suggestion that Pacquiao must be on something to withstand the pain of power shots and a busted eardrum is ridiculous! Someone would have to be on PCP or something similar to walk through major punishment.

Seriously, if Pacquiao was on PCP, he would not be prancing into the ring with an ear-to-ear grin, waving at fans, looking like a kid in a toy store. He would be fidgeting around, contorting his facial muscles like he’s about to jack someone.

Does Pacquiao look like he’s on some kind of uppers? The guy is too cool under pressure and laid back to be on any kind of uppers. Some people will have to realize that sometimes, it’s all about hard work and discipline. And for even a select few, it’s a matter of having a God-given gift or ability.

Let’s hope this issue is finally laid to rest, but with the upcoming superfight with the Mayweathers, it probably will not.