By Superstar Billy Graham
Apparently PEDs/Steroid accusations have finally reached over our Canadian borders. The press conference between Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins turned from promoting their upcoming rematch set on May 21th, to an accusation from Jean Pascal accusing 46 year old legendary fighter Bernard Hopkins of taking PEDs and then screaming from the top of his lungs “YOU ARE A CHEATER”. Pascal went on further by demanding Hopkins to undertake drug testing similar to the type of drug testing Floyd Mayweather demanded Manny Pacquiao to undertake which is OSDT (Olympic Style Drug Testing). The whole press conference turned into bedlam, where both fighters were at each others throat. Swinging, pushing, lunging, and yelling. Jean Pascal yelling at Bernard Hopkins to “take the test” and “you’re a cheater”. While Bernard Hopkins accused Jean Pascal of being a coward and scared. Sounds familiar.
Which brings us back over a year ago between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd made unsubstantiated accusations at Manny Pacquiao of taking performance enhancement drugs. Manny Pacquiao and Bernard Hopkins both have never tested positive of steroids or any performance enhancement drugs. But according to Jean Pascal, because Bernard Hopkins association with trainer Naazim Richardson who trains Shane Mosley, Pascal has concluded because Shane was an admitted steroid user linked to BALCO and Naazim Richardson is training Shane and Bernard Hopkins, by association Hopkins must be taking some sort of performance enhancement drugs. To The Superstar, this smacks a similar situation between Manny and Floyd’s situation. Floyd fans have concluded Manny is taking PEDs because Freddie Roach trained James Toney who years ago tested positive for steroid use specifically stanazonol.
What we have here is something serious, just as serious as the use of PEDs in the sport of boxing. Accusations and paranoia running rampant in the sport. One fighter accusing another fighter of taking PEDs/Steroids without one shred of proof. What has our sport come too? Are they warriors? What has become of honor among warriors? Or are they paranoid scaredy cats who are willing to compromise their ethics in the name of fear? Because they can not understand or are willing to accept some fighters are special and smart with their training, it must be in their mind they are cheating. It is a cop out. The Superstar absolutely believes instead of “what we don’t know’, we should be dealing with “what we do know”. Manny and Bernard both have taken every drug test demanded and required by the commission or any governing body, both have passed every single test. 100% clean according to the drug test. That is what we know for an absolute fact. Again, it is “what we know”. Has Bernard or Manny been linked or proven to have taken steroids or PEDs? No, again that’s “what we know”. If we want to deal with facts and truth, we can only use “what we know”, not “what we don’t know”. If we go to the court of law, they deal only with facts. Innuendos, false facts, what ifs or could haves is not permissible in the court of law. Facts is facts. Nothing can dispute hard facts. Why is it so hard for Floyd fans to accept that accusing people of taking PEDs without a single shred of proof is not right.
Imagine this, Manny and Bernard who both have tested clean throughout their career are being demanded to undergo more invasive test to prove they are clean. In other words they are already found, deemed clean, and innocent but that it is not enough so they have to go beyond to prove themselves again as clean and innocent. That is ridiculous. It is like the judge and jury have found you innocent but you have to take another court proceeding to prove the judgement that was given to you is justified. Ridiculous. You’re clean and innocent but you have to prove again you’re clean and innocent. Who in their right mind would subject themselves to that? Bear in mind both Manny and Bernard have never been linked to or have taken any drugs or failed a single test.
After the press conference, Bernard Hopkins went on to echo what many Manny Pacquiao fans have been saying all along. Who is this guy to question Bernard Hopkins? He has fought for so many years and this kid who doesn’t think before he talks is all of sudden questioning Bernard because of his association with Naazim Richardson and Shane Mosley, and questioning Bernard’s dedication to training by suggesting he must be using PEDs to maintain at this high level at the age of 46 years old. If you listen to this post press conference interview, Manny Pacquiao fans will find exact similarity to what we all have been saying and Bernard Hopkins is echoing the same exact thing.
We can all thank you Floyd Mayweather for this. Who knows what will happen to other fights. Are we going to see more fighters accusing other fighters of taking PEDs and demanding OSDT? Don’t be surprised if it happens on a regular basis. Fighters demanding other fighters taking OSDT. Who knows, this may spill over to other sports, not just boxing. We can all thank Floyd Mayweather for this. He has created paranoia in the sport of boxing. Bravery is being pushed aside and replaced by fear. And by the way The Superstar would like to finish, “Floyd, the reason why most Americans don’t support you, is not just because you break the law by assaulting your ex girlfriend or poking a security guard. America is the land and home of the free and the brave. You are free but you are certainly not brave. We don’t have room for cowards.” Floyd is what many people outside the United States call Americans who act like him, “the ugly American”.
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