David Benavidez says David Morrell has been complaining about the drug testing for their February 1st fight, and he believes he doesn’t want to be tested by VADA.
WBA interim light heavyweight champion Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is suspicious, saying that WBA ‘regular’ champ Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) may be worried “something may come up” on one of his tests.
Benavidez Plays the PED Card
Some fans see Benavidez’s complaints as him building the early groundwork for a PED excuse ahead of time to blame a potential loss to Morrell on potentially using steroids.
Just by Benaivdez mentioning steroids during the build-up, people will view a victory by Morrell with suspicion. Morrell wouldn’t even have to test positive for PEDs for people to believe that he was using due to the association of steroids with his name during the build-up.
Benavidez would receive less criticism from fans, and his stock wouldn’t drop nearly as badly if they believed that Morrell was dirty. It wouldn’t matter that Morrell never tested positive for a steroid. The mentioning of it by Benavidez during interviews would make people believe Morrell was using PEDS, and it would taint his victory.
“When he fought, go look at the people he fought. They said they did VADA, and they did not make David Morrell do VADA,” said David Benavidez to MillCity Boxing. “There were two different fighters that did that.
“He tried to pull the same s*** on me because we’re 13 weeks into the game. When I fought Caleb Plant, we had started testing 14 weeks out. Boo Boo Andrade 14 weeks out. How is is this guy [Morrell] is coming into his biggest fight ever, and he doesn’t have to do no VADA, and he’s already being accused of steroid use.
“I’m not saying he’s taking steroids or nothing like that, but once you’re not trying to take the VADA test, the s*** looks kind of weird. Also, he’s saying he’s a lab rat because he’s getting tested. This is what it is. This is clean boxing. We’re doing VADA every week or every other week.
It would be better if Benavidez didn’t discuss PEDs ahead of the fight because it comes across as if he’s already planning an excuse if things don’t work out in his favor in the fight with Morrell.
“If you don’t like it, you’re probably doing something, or you’re probably a little worried that something might come up on these VADA tests,” said Benavidez. Me, I’ve been tested more than anyone in VADA, and that’s facts. I’ve been tested over 30 times, and I never complained. I never said I was a lab rat.
“This guy [Morrell] barely got tested three times, and he’s saying he’s a lab rat. Go look at the fights and look at the people accusing him. Me, I never got accused of taking steriods. Then when you see the press conference, as soon as I said, ‘Steroids, you guys didn’t want to test,’ that’s when Luis DeCubas got up and started talking a***. Then they walked away.
“So, I don’t know. You guys be the judge of that. I’m pointing things out, but you guys aren’t going to play me like I’m an idiot. If there are VADA tests, then let’s do it, and let’s be clean boxing,” said Benavidez.
Read the full article here
