Mayweather (photo) returns to the ring next Saturday (12). Photo: Disclosure/Showtime
The intravenous drip used to help athletes rehydrate after weigh-ins was recently banned by the UFC and generated great controversy in MMA, but the biggest bombshell in sport involving the treatment could end up coming from boxing, and be related to the biggest and highest paid boxer today. This is because Floyd Mayweather Jr. is being accused of using intravenous fluids before his “Fight of the Century” against Manny Pacquiao, in May of this year.
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In a huge dossier on the use of performance-enhancing substances in boxing, journalist Thomas Hauser, from the North American website “SB Nation”, alleges that Mayweather had received doses of intravenous serum in his weight recovery after the fight weigh-in. against Manny Pacquiao and that the North American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is aware of this.
According to the report, the multi-time champion had received an exceptional release from USADA, but neither he nor his team submitted the request form, which characterizes the use as illegal. The restriction on the use of intravenous serum is related to the fact that it can be used as an agent to mask the use of other illegal substances, such as anabolic steroids.
The dossier presented also contains a strong statement from Victor Conte, responsible for the BALCO laboratory, involved in a huge doping scandal in 2002, which involved important names in the sport, such as the Olympic champion (later disqualified) in athletics Marion Jones, the baseball star Jason Giambi and record holder home runs in MLB (North American baseball league) Barry Bonds.
“The benefits an athlete maintains from using anabolic steroids and some other PEDs can last for months. Anyone who knows anything about how these medications work knows that you don't perform your best when you're actually under the influence of the drugs. You get the maximum benefit after stopping. I can't tell you what Floyd Mayweather is or isn't doing. What he could be doing is this: the fight is over. First, it uses these medications for tissue repair. Then he can stay with them until he announces his next fight, at which point he is the one who decides when the next round of testing begins. And when the tests begin, the drugs are already out of your system,” said Victor.
To date, neither Mayweather nor any of his representatives have spoken publicly about the accusations. “Money” returns to the ring next Saturday (12), when he faces Andre Berto, in his 49th and possibly last professional fight.
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