The Elephant in the Room

Dear 606v2,

Alright, so people know I think Chavez Jr is a hype machine. From what I have written about him on the boards people understand this. However, I have to give him props for Saturday night, he was impressive, and threw some sickening shots to the body. Andy Lee had a great jab and a game plan that Chavez Jr took from him. Very impressive, and Chavez Jr showed a composure that I wasn’t sure I’d see. So for that and his power shots and movement to get inside I say, well done.

But…

There is an elephant in the room that the media, social networks and other fighters seem scared to discuss. Now, I’m not someone who likes to make accusations. I’m not, which will sound slightly ironic due to my harsh comments on Chavez Jr in the past. Still, come on now. The man weighed 180 pounds on fight night, the man lives badly in between fights, drains himself completely to make weight and cramps up in the first round. You’re telling me that this man, when it is near proven that when a fighter is drained before a fight his power resistance goes, that when a man is getting loaded on booze and joints before fight camps that his balance is often gone. You’re going to tell me that this man, Chavez Jr, isn’t benefiting from something other fighters aren't?

I feel terrible for putting it out there but it has to be said. No urine test before the fight, refused by his camp. Ambiguity around who is his conditioning coach and what he is even eating and drinking. No urine tests or blood tests post-fight last time out. No disclosure on the weight of his gloves and absolutely no transparency in a sport of pain?

Come on now.

Look at other sports. Footballers have to declare the kit they are going to wear, tennis players the type of racket, golfers the clubs. And we have boxing, BOXING, a sport that involves risking, not prolonging one’s life, and Chavez Jr gets away with these types of demands? Gets to live the way he does between bouts and then come in like a tank? A tank that literally walked through some big lefts and chopping hooks from Andy Lee?

I simply cannot buy it. Andy Lee is a proven puncher, and Chavez Jr walked into several big punches, several. Also, Chavez Jr’s sudden KO power is a concern. Suddenly he is a beast with the power shots, when he used to be a cumulative puncher?

No.

I cannot believe this man isn’t benefiting from something alien. I am sorry, but look at how vague his camp is, look at the lack of transparency, the weight draining and ballooning. Answer me this question: How the hell do you put on 20 pounds in one day? How the hell does that happen? Obese people would struggle, we all would. It can only happen if you are manipulating your body in such a way before the fight, that it has a stunning reaction when protein and nutrients are then added back into the diet. To do this it means you would have to starve your body of this goodness beforehand, surely? How the hell can a boxer train and come in so big and STRONG after that kind of treatment. Chavez Jr trains in private, I mean all boxers do, but man, come on, THAT privately?

If he isn’t benefiting from an outside source I feel terrible. Boxing does not need people calling out fighters. However, it needs rule bending even less. And I believe the ‘new face’ of boxing is 'rule bending'.

Let me know what you think?

Got to say David, very well put together article.

You know, possibly through my own naivety, or stupidity, if you'd have asked me a couple of years ago how many boxers do you think juice I'd have thought lower than 1%. I'd have torn a man to shreds if he'd start saying a lot of boxers juice. Now if you ask me, it wouldn't shock me if 30% of the major players did...

Though it's not possible for us to prove, and I'm much more in favour of innocent until proven guilty-type thinking, I can't help but seriously suspect it in Chavez Jr's case...

I'm glad you raised it. I also admit Chavez jr is better than the guy I saw 2 years ago and better than I thought he'd become but he seems to get away with murder!

I doubt the Martinez fight will happen unless Martinez agrees to every single Chavez/Arum demand which will raise concerns for true fight fans.

The fight would only happen in Texas. the problem is Martinez will probably accept the terms as he's so frustrated at being unable to land the big fights he deserves.

Thanks guys, and great points!

It will happen i think, but the terms will be shocking. They need to do tests, they have to, right? Chavez will move up soon, let's hope they get it on first.

I was reading an article yesterday from a doping expert and he believed that 5-10% of athletes at the olympics will have used some form of illegal supplements or blood doping. If you figure that people will be more wary of using illegal enhancements in the olympics than in boxing due to the stricter testing in the olympics, it's frighting to think how many boxers could be doping when the testing is practically non-existent.

There is certainly something strange going on in the Chavez camp, their reluctance to give a urine sample really said a lot in my opinion.

Have to wonder if his dad, who is an ATG and a true warrior, knows what his son is up to.

I have defended Chavez many times here against some seriously silly attacks on him. But, if he didn't take a test, then something has to be done. The boxer's safety is paramount.......always. Funny how Arum fighters appear allergic to dope tests.

If I were Khan I would fire Ariza pronto. I don't trust that guy and Khan is hardkly the sharpest tool on the box and will ingest whatever he is given.

I've often said Chavez would beat Martinez when they fight (they will do). Whilst I maintain that, I hope Martinez sparks him out cleanly to show that a clean athlete can beat one who avoids tests.

Good article bro.

He's a cheat end of story. He skipped the drug test after the Rubio fight and the one before Lee. No one seems to know if he took one after the Lee fight.

If he had nothing to hide he would take the test.

Thanks bro. Completely agree, how he is allowed to avoid testing and keep the testing quiet is beyond a joke, it is insane. He must be hiding something, but what? Juice most likely, roided up juice.

not sure if he took the test can only mean he didn't. if he did they would know surely.

Exactly why else was Arum so determined to have the fight in Texas after the first venue pulled out. He knows he can get away with it. Remember

Texas is the state that gave Margarito a licence after the California commission knocked him back because he tried to kill Shane Mosley.

The way HBO reported it was shocking as well. Merchant mentioned it as if he had forgot to put his bins out before he left the house! What if Lee had been seriously injured or worse. I know Arum would be able to sleep at night because he's a rat but I would like to think a HOF trainer like Roach would have a bit more of a respect for other fighters.

The rehydration isnt that uncommon, Ortiz, Williams, pavlik and a host of other fighters put on similar amounts. What is a concern is the lack of clear drug testing especially of a fighter who has been caught in the past.

Chavez is suspect. Too many stories come out about him. Gloves, missed and previously failed tests, weight issues, cramps. The man is suspect and I really hope he is tested properly before Martinez fight, if it happens

I'm usually a big advocate of innocent till proven guilty but at this stage there are too many suspicions to give him that benefit of the doubt..

Imperial Ghosty wrote:The rehydration isnt that uncommon, Ortiz, Williams, pavlik and a host of other fighters put on similar amounts. What is a concern is the lack of clear drug testing especially of a fighter who has been caught in the past.

Not 22lbs though and when they do cut a lot of weight they at least attend the suga tests. He missed the last one because they forgot and didn't even arrange one vs lee

Williams and pavlik both use to gain over 20lbs after the weigh, the issue for me isn't the weight gain but the lack of testing

obese people can't put on 20lbs because it's not fat that's going on his body.

he rids his body of water, and our body is around 60% water.
hatton used to put on a lot after weight in. i agree it's a lot though and his team are very shady. its almost as if it's TOO obvious they have something to hide. its a joke. it's like they are the law in boxing, and if the wbc are happy to have him as a cash cow, they'll keep doing shady things.

Ok, regarding the fight. I am seeing a lot of people now think Junior can beat Martinez. Take out the "father time" possibility for Martinez, assuming he is fit and still very good, don't see Junior beating him. Surely Chavez will eat those straight lefts, so easy to hit and Sergio has genuine pop. Ring will be tiny and then there is the roid factor. But assuming all is above board I see Martinez winning, he is simply a class above Junior.

Chavez seems t be developing some pop, but that is overrated IMO. He isn't flattening people.

Great points everyone, Sugar some great ideas there mate.

The way HBO are blindly following these fighters also upsets me. I mean i don't think Roach would have anything to do with Chavez Jr if he knew he was on roids. But i honestly believe that HBO have lost the plot. The way they brush past these testing issues is shameful. Can they even call themselves broadcasters anymore?

And the poll they put out on Pac Man just to prove that the public, like them, thought he won the fight against Bradley... Jesus.

They put a poll out on their own channel with their own commentary and expect it to be impartial? Holy sh** HBO. I mean i thought Pac Man won, we all did, but not by their margin, and not with that kind of shameful bias.

I swear, one day some HBO starlet could be walking to the ring with a gun in each hand, and if it's a HBO hag doing it on their paper-view then don't be surprised to hear Kellerman shriek some insane, juiced up comment... "look team, it's Mr. Terry HBO coming to the ring! he epitomizes the liberation of post-modernist HBO boxers, and really looks like he's going to go for the win tonight... good luck, Terry! Oh, yeah, and now here comes the spirited Tim Bradly. " Lunatic.

HBO - Lampley, describing Chavez Junior as "shocking the worl" when he out countered....Peter Manfredo! Laughable

I liked Lampley more when he was a drunk.

They should adopt the same policy as in football where missing a test is treated the same as failing one. That should help jog a fighters memory! Im sure Rio Ferdinand learnt his lesson.

No execuses in boxing for not having the strictest testing enforced. Especially as it looks like every other boxer seems to be abusing steroids.

Agree with Gordy here, if they miss a test they get a 12 month BAN or something

Great idea Gordy, i feel all these different bodies and state laws etc really screw up the transparency. Texas is lawless in the boxing world and anyone seems capable of being bought. Just have one doping agency that can call on you at will and if the boxer refuses, ban their ass.

Great article David highlighting some important issues that are turning fans away from boxing and onto other contact sports.

The level of corruption/conspiracies in boxing is killing the game.

Balco knew about this in the early 2000's, some people are so naive to believe cheating wasn't going on, "oh they get tested all the time, it would be impossible to pass these tests".

:

SharkSoul wrote:
Great article David highlighting some important issues that are turning fans away from boxing and onto other contact sports.

The level of corruption/conspiracies in boxing is killing the game.

Very true. The sport is dying. In 15 or 20 years will it exist at all? Or if it does in what kind of capacity?

The sport needs to take a serious look at its position, and how it may improve it. Otherwise it will fade away.

Thanks guys, one word: transparency.

Clear rules and regular testing followed by full disclosure is what is needed or the sport dies. All these governing bodies and state laws messing the sport up, ruining the respect that was associated with the sport.

Ban these people for life, these cheats. They know they could kill someone doing it.

I think one of the main contributing factors to the degradation of boxing in recent years is it's transcendence from a sport to a business.

We are all aware that 'Money Talks' but that combined with the Alphabet Soup of boxing organisations, federations and councils are only diluting the true essence of it.

Gordys right, where will it be if it is at all in 15-20 years. Those that say they love it are the ones wielding the tools that are destroying it.

Excellent article Davidemore

Not much more i can add to what's already been said. But i really believe the only way the sport get's cleaned up is with ONE governing body. That will never happen though as there are too many businessmen involved(Arum etc etc), whose only intention is to feather their own nests. They have no interest in the boxers welfare whatsoever and unfortunately it'll probably take a death before someone/somebody address's the situation.....

Very sad....