By Frank Lotierzo
Ever since current WBO welterweight title holder Manny Pacquiao blitzed Ricky Hatton--who was trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr. for the fight--in two rounds back in May of this year, Floyd Mayweather Sr. has contested that Pacquiao has been taking HGH and performance enhancing drugs. In fact Floyd Sr. has stirred the pot so much with his allegations of Pacquiao taking PED's that Manny will be tested Olympic style in the weeks leading before his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in March of 2010.
Last month Floyd Mayweather Sr. told Sports Illustrated that after seeing Pacquiao take Miguel Cotto's Sunday left hook unflinchingly during their fight, he believes Manny was aided by some illegal substances and worried about his son Floyd Jr. fighting him while he was under the influence of them. Which is laughable. Even more laughable than Mayweather Sr's accusations is the fact that he doesn't even believe what he's put out there.
Actually, Floyd Sr. would love for Pacquiao to be on some type of steroid or HGH when he meets his son in three months. And the reason for that is he's fully aware that there's no drug or supplement available to anyone which helps a fighter take a better punch than he would if his system were free of them. Such a drug or steroid that transforms a fighter into a puncher via a bottle or needle doesn't exist, at least not in 2009. And if you've ever been around fighters who have experimented with them looking for an edge, you'd know they did nothing for them but mess up their body chemistry.
Some fans and writers even believe to this day that Aaron Pryor had something in the little black bottle that Panama Lewis concocted for his first fight with Alexis Arguello, and that enabled "The Hawk" to take a massive right to the chin from Arguello in the 13th round that must have been heard around the world when it landed. Then after drinking whatever was in the black bottle Pryor was able to come roaring back to stop Arguello in the 14th round. Maybe in a Rocky movie but not in the real world.
I hate to ruin the myth for those who believe Pryor won the fight with a little help, but Pryor had nothing aiding him during his first fight with Alexis Arguello that helped him come out on top. And if he did he brought it with him for the rematch which turned out to be a repeat of the first fight - only it lasted four less rounds 10 months later.
Oh, and Lewis decided to only use it for that fight and the magic energy potion is locked away forever along with the horse-hair that was removed from Luis Resto's gloves right before he fought Billy Collins Jr. at Madison Square Garden in 1983. What's more is if Manny Pacquiao is really ingesting some form of performance enhancing drugs or supplements (which I don't believe he is) and it really has improved his chin and durability along with increasing his punching power, shame on the Mayweather camp for not knowing about it and getting it for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to take before fighting Pacquiao so the fight can be contested on more even terms.
Here's the deal---pay no attention to what Floyd Mayweather Sr. has been spewing about Manny Pacquiao taking performance enhancing supplements and drugs. It's nothing more than subterfuge and a way for Floyd Sr. to inject himself into the biggest fight of the last 10 years. Remember, if such a supplement existed that helped fighters raise their pain resistance and increase their power every trainer in boxing would know about it, not just Panama Lewis and perhaps Freddie Roach.
Manny Pacquiao takes a great punch because he is a phenomenal athlete and physical specimen. Manny can really punch with both hands and take it to the head and body because he was blessed with those physical and mental gifts at birth. If he beats Floyd Mayweather when they meet next year, it'll be for no other reason than he's a greater fighter. And if he loses to him it won't be because he couldn't get over on the Nevada Commission this time and couldn't take supplements or other performance enhancing drugs. It'll be because Floyd Mayweather was the greater fighter.
For the record, Pacquiao has already tested clean 10 times without any trace of PED's found in his system by the Nevada Athletic Commission. But everyone knows that hasn't kept Mayweather Sr. from continuing to insist that he's using them. The unfortunate part of the accusations that he's tossed at Pacquiao is some fans and writers will begin to buy into them if they haven't already.
If Mayweather Sr. even had a clue as to what a steroid user looked like, he'd see Pacquiao doesn't even look like he uses steroids or HGH. He's still a small guy with huge legs (as opposed to the huge guy/tiny legs model of juice usage.) Pacquiao is now 30 years old and has filled out and matured physically later in life than most fighters in the lower weight divisions. The weight and size he's put on has come as a result of that and via a natural process.
Lastly, if there was some magic drug or supplement available that really worked and gave a fighter more punch resistance and/or added power I wouldn't put it past Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather along with any other world class fighter taking them, because all fighters are always looking for an edge to get one up on their peers.
The trouble is it can't be gained through a bottle, needle or HGH regardless of what Floyd Mayweather Sr. implies.
Source: thesweetscience.com
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