Steroid abusers of the past

[Robinson]

As this is a topic that pops up in most sports more and more, I am interested to know what boxers of the past and present who have admitted to using, tested positive to or have been linked to with good suspicion steroids and performance enhancing drugs.

Thanks guys

[STP]

It's not exactly rocket science that, say, Holyfield or Tommy Morrison used/use.

Roy Jones, too.

[Robinson]

Holyfield has been linked to HGH.

Morrison admited to HGH and steroids which is why he claims he got a positive result for HIV.

Toney and Vargas are two that come to mind in recent years that were done for steroids.

RJJ does HGH as well does he not ?

Isn't HGH legal in the US ?
Alot of 'gear' that is legal and availabel in the US are illegal here in Aust.

[Robinson]

Apparently George Foreman admitted to using a steroid during his earlier years. I do not believe this claim but I have heard two people say this to me.

Tyson apparently was also fed it as a teen according to these two sources.

[Ezzard]

Substance abuse is rife in most sports but especially those in which being the number 5 in the world is worth peanuts whilst being number 1 is worth millions.

Many sporting prodigies are fed them early on so Tyson doesn't surprise me.

[Robinson]

Whatever it takes...

an ex Brit mentioned to me awhile ago when I was talking about boxing with him that he disliked Bruno because he "is always eating steroids" his words. I almost felt bad for asking if he liked Bruno.

[Ezzard]

Whatever it takes...

an ex Brit mentioned to me awhile ago when I was talking about boxing with him that he disliked Bruno because he "is always eating steroids" his words. I almost felt bad for asking if he liked Bruno.

A lot of guys like to do bulk up and hit the weights because all that muscle seems to improve their confidence. They look powerful and so they feel powerful. many of them do this at the detriment to working on their skills though.

When you look at a guy like Harold Johnson though you are looking at a natural athlete. A strong man with fantastic skill to go with it.

The way fighters put on weight to jump up must be done artificially. I mean it's not that easy to put on weight when you're training as hard as a prize fighter.

[Ambling Alp]

Frans Botha tested poistive for steroids after winning the IBF title, the bout was changed to a NC and he isn't considered a beltholder.

Shane Mosley has been linked to steroids but I don't believe there has been much actual proof.

A couple of things that I think are interesting about steroids:
-It's odd sometimes who gets caught. James Toney and Frans Botha don't exactly have impressive physiques. They don't fit the stereotype of the over muscled user. However, apparently, (at least in Toney's case) they used to because they hate to train and it gives them extra energy to train.

A tennis player named Petr Korda tested positive for steroid use. The guy was about 6'3 and probably weighed less than 160 pounds. He didn't look like he could bench press a tennis racquet.

-You wonder how much excessive bulking up helps in boxing anyway. After a certain point, it seems to hurt a fighter. Their handspeed decreases, so they they don't hit their opponent as often. Their punching power isn't that great because part of punching power is speed. The bulky guys are usually immobile and easy to hit. Stamina also suffers.

[dempseyfire]

Foreman never used steroids, whoever told you that info is wrong.

Funny enough they just did a study on HGH and the conclusion was it failed to equate to any improvement in athletic performance.

[overhand_right]

Apparently George Foreman admitted to using a steroid during his earlier years. I do not believe this claim but I have heard two people say this to me.

Tyson apparently was also fed it as a teen according to these two sources.

Bloody hell you're gullible aren't you?

Most people would hear this and know it was absolute tripe.

This thread is pure speculation. Mike Weaver had an impressive physique, bet he was on steroids too? Yawn...

[Ezzard]

Frans Botha tested poistive for steroids after winning the IBF title, the bout was changed to a NC and he isn't considered a beltholder.

Shane Mosley has been linked to steroids but I don't believe there has been much actual proof.

A couple of things that I think are interesting about steroids:
-It's odd sometimes who gets caught. James Toney and Frans Botha don't exactly have impressive physiques. They don't fit the stereotype of the over muscled user. However, apparently, (at least in Toney's case) they used to because they hate to train and it gives them extra energy to train.

A tennis player named Petr Korda tested positive for steroid use. The guy was about 6'3 and probably weighed less than 160 pounds. He didn't look like he could bench press a tennis racquet.

-You wonder how much excessive bulking up helps in boxing anyway. After a certain point, it seems to hurt a fighter. Their handspeed decreases, so they they don't hit their opponent as often. Their punching power isn't that great because part of punching power is speed. The bulky guys are usually immobile and easy to hit. Stamina also suffers.

That's it though... Using and getting caught are 2 completely different things.

[John Galt]

Performance Enhancers don't necessarily add bulk. They can make an athlete leaner, stronger, make him recover quciker from workouts, help with injuries, etc.
They work, that is why most, probably all top athletes use them. Why wouldn't George Foreman have used PEs in the 70s? They were legal at that time.
Why wouldn't all of the top fighters of that era have used PEs?

[ebeneezer]

Mosley admitted taking clean and clear for the De La Hoya rematch.

[Flump]

I've not heard anything concrete but the mid 90's Golota showed all the signs, spotty back, strange voice, enlarged jaw, fried brain etc...

[HomicideHenry]

Nah that just means he's Polish

[observer1]

i have never come accross anyone claiming Tyson taking steroids..

I thought he was always naturally big and huge..

in some documentry it says he weighed like 190 lbs at 12 years old..

I doubt steroids would be needed...

[dempseyfire]

i have never come accross anyone claiming Tyson taking steroids..

I thought he was always naturally big and huge..

in some documentry it says he weighed like 190 lbs at 12 years old..

I doubt steroids would be needed...

I have heard it claimed before and wouldn't be surprised if he was on them from an early age. Why did Tyson weigh about 180 lbs when he came out of jail in the mid-90s? That's some shrinkage...

It's pretty easy to divulge conspiracy theories from fairy dust.

There were literally dozens of people who hanged around Tyson and Foreman when he trained. It's been over 20 years. Not one even allegation of steroid use (post-prison Tyson maybe a different story but still nothing), let alone any evidence. Give me a frikkin' break.

Tyson 180 lbs out of prison . . .link please??? That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

[HomicideHenry]

If I recall correctly Tyson was actually about 280 when he came out of prison.

sheesh, Tyson ain't Ike Ibeabuchi for Christ's sake

[Robinson]

I never said I believed them when they told me that Foreman was on the gear. I however mentioned in this thread as I have heard it from a few people.

YES it is speculation....but that is what most of this forum is about isn't it ?

I think any one would have to be pretty naive to think that alot of the athletes in our sport are HGH, steroid and enhancers free.

As my Greco coach says who is a product of 1970s-80s Polish olympic training.....what they give you evolves quicker than what they test for. He was fed 'supplements' as a junior for the European and junior olympics, his urine was never tested. His coaches was however.
They wre fed these supplements not to enhance there performance on the maty but to minimise recovery time..so they could train longer and harder without. Who is to say this is no different to what happenes in boxing whether at elite or lower levels ?

[bjermaine]

Holyfield has been linked to HGH.

Morrison admited to HGH and steroids which is why he claims he got a positive result for HIV.

Toney and Vargas are two that come to mind in recent years that were done for steroids.

RJJ does HGH as well does he not ?

Isn't HGH legal in the US ?
Alot of 'gear' that is legal and availabel in the US are illegal here in Aust.

as far as jones goes, i will always come to his defense in all the bullshit that's said by fans and the incompetent/biased media. roy jones has never been linked to hgh at any point except by the fans who just want to make up shit.

this is taken from his wiki page:

A post-fight drug test showed Jones and Hall both tested positive for androstenedione, which is a banned substance by the IBF. Androstenedione is a natural steroid hormone that was commonly available over the counter as a supplement until 2004 when the FDA made the over the counter sale of androstenedione illegal. Jones admitted to taking the product "ripped fuel" which was sold at GNC and other nutritional supplement outlets. Jones was able to keep his titles and was not fined or suspended for the positive test by the IBF. The Commissioner of Indiana Boxing, Jacob Hall stated that Indiana did not have a law on drug testing and that an agreement was made with Jones to send his next two pre-fight drug tests to the Indiana commission. Both of those tests came back negative.[1] Jones has not tested positive for illegal substances on any other occasion.

should the ibf have stripped him of his title and should he have been suspended, probably. shame on jones for not knowing exactly what was in his body but calling him a steroid cheat is a bit much. i don't have a problem with this like i do the other guys. toney was caught in his last fight with a steroid that is given to horses. that is a problem.

btw, hgh is not legal in the us unless prescribed by a dr.

[fourreal]

SRL when he became an overnight LHW

[Chava]

Vinny Pazienza had to have been. I'll admit to never liking the guy, so maybe that taints my view, but...........

[Controversial]

What’s the earliest time in history a fighter has admitted or been caught for steroid use? Didn’t Ali test positive for something when fighting Holmes or am I imagining that?

[DrDuke]

I believe, every top fighter did that unquestionably since the 80s.

[handsofstone]

I've read plenty old fighters autobiographies where they've blamed taking certain medication for poor performances, Ali and Duran straight off the bat