Manny Pacquiao and the Ongoing Steroid Scandal in Boxing
By Joe Wilson
Not long ago, anytime steroids were mentioned it was affiliated with sports other than boxing. In recent years it was not unusual to hear the word steroids in the same sentences with professional body builders and wrestlers. It wasn’t until the last few decades that professional athletes such as track and baseball players started to get flagged. The days of flying below the radar with the use of steroids has begun to present its own challenges, even in professional boxing.
It’s rare that professional boxing is at the center of attention of sports and steroids. There is growing evidence that performance-enhancing substances have been a part of boxing discussions. Not just the recent headlines regarding Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao, but allegations of steroid use by boxers in the past.
There have been several stories in the news regarding steroids and professional
boxers. Many boxers have been stripped of titles because of testing positive after a fight. A while back the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Orlando Salido, who had a victory over Robert Guerrero to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight belt. Salido post fight urinalysis revealed the presence of the steroid, nandrolone, according to the news. Right around that time, Mariano Carrera tested positive for the anabolic steroid clenbuterol, following his victory over Javier Castillejo in Berlin for the World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight title.
Back in 1995, Frans Botha of South Africa was stripped of the IBF heavyweight title belt after his victory over Axel Schulz. Frans Botha tested positive for steroids according to boxing news. Later, he and his camp claimed the drug had been prescribed for treatment of an arm injury. According to past boxing news, Roy Jones, JR., and Richard Hall both tested positive for the drug testosterone precursor androstendione after Jones defeated Hall to retain undisputed world light heavyweight championship in Indianapolis in 2000. Roy Jones and his camp claimed his positive test was the result of ingesting the supplement Ripped Fuel (A fat-burner supplement that could be dangerous if not used correctly).
In September 2002, Fernando Vargas dominated Oscar De La Hoya for the first several rounds of the fight, but was later knocked out by Oscar. Fernando Vargas was later suspended for nine months and fined $100,000 for testing positive for the steroid stanozolol after the fight. Vargas claimed the steroids were given to him without his knowledge. Vargas did accept full responsibility for the actions.
In 2005, WBA Heavyweight Champ John Ruiz lost a decision to James Toney, which was later ruled a no-contest after Toney tested positive for the drug nandrolone. According to boxing news around the sport Toney claimed the steroids were given to him by a doctor to treat an injured arm suffered during a previous fight.
Floyd Mayweather, JR., recently brought attention to the sport of boxing by requiring himself and Manny Pacquiao to be subject to Olympic style testing. That subject can be argued on both sides of the fence, mainly on Mayweather’s side because he was willing to be tested by those same procedures. The Olympic style testing that Mayweather wanted jeopardized many millions that both fighters could have cashed in on had they fought! As most people may know by now, what makes Olympic style testing different from other testing in professional sports is: they have year-round testing, that would be unannounced. Say, for example, if Olympic style testing was mandatory for professional boxing, there would be random unannounced testing from the time a boxer starts training camp all the way up until fight time. Maybe a cutoff period like one week before the fight and immediately tested right after the fight. It would not call for just a urinalysis, but also withdraw small amounts of blood, randomly.
One would probably think after titles and belts being stripped because of positive test in the past, steroids are no small subject in professional boxing. Some experts seem to think that steroids in boxing are a much bigger problem than we recognize. However, for some reason boxing has seemed to ignore it! Some experts don’t think it’s related to the positive drug tests that have turned up. What makes boxing different is, there is no federal oversight. Commissions don’t have to test, and they don’t have to test for the same thing, while performing test. There is no standard which governs the commissions. Over the past most boxers have known how to stay below the radar when it comes to testing.
Just like many other illegal drugs, steroids are available as well. The many scandals that surfaced around the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (known as BALCO), big-name athletes spent several thousands of dollars enhancing those drug regimes beyond reach of average athletics. But, now days so much of those drugs are available around boxing gyms, gymnasiums and on street corners. There is probably no way to know if experts or an average drug dealer trying to make a quick buck is administering today’s steroids.
Some experts say, “The reason most fighters use anabolic steroids is not for the bulk.” They also say, “It’s not the heavyweights that’s been testing positive over the past years, it’s been the smaller weights.” The smaller have been known to use steroids to put on bulk. The drug also reduces the time they would have to take off from a small injury while training for a fight. Usually, anything that increases muscle mass and strength for a fighter, especially a smaller fighter going up in size to face a bigger opponent, gives him a better chance at winning.
One would believe that in this era of boxing, the sport really has to get serious about drug testing for performance-enhancing substances. Unlike track and field and professional baseball, which have stepped-up measures for testing athletes. Professional boxing is the only sport that has not risen to the occasion of drug testing for the safety of the fighters in the ring. Boxing is a one-on-one combat sport. Just that alone brings its on dangers. Many who follow the sport of boxing around the world have voiced their opinion regarding testing for steroid use. Most followers of professional boxing believe State Commissions can do a lot more to better regulate this sport.
One would believe that as fans continue to speak out about the subject of steroid use in boxing, Sate Commissions will have no other choice but to enforce better testing standards for all professional boxing events.