By Allen Canceran
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“I think what’s going to happen with boxing is, people are now opening their eyes and realizing that, wow, you have two fighters who want to bash their brains in and if one fighter is on something, it can be devastating,” De La Hoya said. “It should be mandatory that fighters go through these extensive tests to make sure that they’re clean because it’s our life up in that ring and we can’t risk that.”– Oscar De la Hoya
It seems like the latest attempt of Oscar to inject the topic of increased drug testing in boxing is nothing more but a dig on Pacquiao for refusing to submit to Olympic style drug testing. If Oscar really meant what he was saying then his words should apply to all of Golden Boy fighters and not only to fights where you see a Mayweather name in there. While Oscar is harping to this tune, a few years back his CEO, Richard Schaefer was dancing to a different one. Schaefer, on the condition set by the Zab Judah camp on Mosley for random blood testing was adamant that they would not submit to any kind of extra testing other than those already mandated by the NSAC. This division of opinions within Golden Boy Promotions is reeking with hypocrisy from foot to mouth that it sounds like a disease.
This latest stance of GBP can be blamed on Floyd Mayweather Jr’s reluctance to fight Manny Pacquiao if there were no Olympic style drug testing agreed to. It would be highly suspicious that Floyd never thought about Olympic style testing not until he was going to face Pacquiao. If I was a conspiracist I would think that Floyd Mayweather demanding Olympic style testing to Mosley is part of a continuum from the aborted Pacquiao fight. One has to save face right?
The bottom line is if GBP is really serious about increased drug testing in boxing it has to step up and volunteer ALL OF ITS FIGHTERS for Olympic style testing. There are a lot of GBP fights coming. Some of those coming soon include:
Jan. 29, Campillo vs. Shumenov
Feb. 25, Victor Ortiz vs. Hector Alatorre
Feb. 26, Antonio Escalante vs. Miguel Roman
Feb. 30, Daniel Ponce De Leon vs. Orlando Cruz
And all the Fight Night Club fights
So far I haven’t heard of Olympic style drug testing for those fights mentioned above. And I am getting impatient that Oscar and Golden Boy is not demanding or including random blood testing in them.
Mosley agreeing to Olympic style testing against Mayweather is not enough compelling reason for Pacquiao to acquiesce to such in a future fight with Floyd. We all know Mosley admitted to steroid and EPO use. It is just right that every fight of Shane should have random blood testing. So it should go beyond Mosley and must be seen on all GBP fighters then we can start to appreciate the sincerity of Golden Boy.
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