Antonio Margarito implies Manny Pacquiao takes steroids
Antonio Margarito has retorted to claims from upcoming opponent Manny Pacquiao that he knew his gloves were loaded in a January 2009 bout with “Sugar” Shane Mosley.
In a video by Fanhouse videographer Elie Seckbach, team Margarito took the blame off themselves by showcasing a Pacquiao picture on their gym wall with an anti-steroid message written above it, saying Manny should say “no” to the illegal substance.
The insinuation that Pacquiao takes steroids has been made by numerous communities in the boxing world, the loudest of which has undoubtedly been Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his camp.
Negotiations for a fight between “Money” Mayweather and Manny fell through a first time around due to Mayweather insisting Pacquiao subject himself to random blood testing which would analyze for performance-enhancing substances up to the fight. Pacquiao
agreed that he would take tests, but only up until 14 days prior to the bout. This didn't satiate Mayweather.
After a second round of negotiations fell through, Mayweather’s camp refused to mull aside the issue, claiming that Pacquiao must be on steroids or other PEDs in order to manage the success he has in so many divisions.
On November 13 Pacquiao will fight Margarito for his eighth world title in as many divisions. As a fighter, he began his career at 106 pounds, and will be meeting Margarito at the catch weight of 150 pounds.
Boxing expert Thomas Hauser has disputed the Top Rank promoted notion of Pacquiao fighting for his eighth world title, due to the quantity of world titles in boxing today and Pacquiao’s use of controversial catchweights to make his mark on the sport.
Though Pacquiao has only participated in two official catchweight bouts (Miguel Cotto and upcoming Margarito fight), weight issues continue to challenge his success. Pacquiao has been accused of fighting big fighters at low weights so that they become weakened
and dehydrated by making weight, allowing him to gain a fighting advantage.
At the same time, for these bouts, for example against Oscar De la Hoya, Pacquiao has also gone up in weight, translating presumably to a decrease in speed and dexterity.
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