BoxRec

No one has ever proved that Shane Mosley took steroids. He was, however, one of many athletes called upon to testify late last year in front of a grand jury investigating the San Francisco-based company BALCO. Its founder, Victor Conte, and three others eventually were indicted for distributing steroids.

Understandably, there were whispers in the aftermath of Mosley's lackadaisical performance against Winky Wright on March 13 in Las Vegas: "It was his first fight off steroids," one insider said.

In losing a lopsided decision to Wright for the undisputed junior middleweight championship, Mosley appeared exhausted after the third round. Afterward, he said, "It felt like I had a monkey on my back."

Mosley's showing made Bob Arum think: Was Mosley taking steroids, knowingly or otherwise, before his rematch with Oscar De La Hoya last September?

In that fight, Mosley was very strong in winning a close, hard- fought decision. Against Wright, he was very weak. It doesn't prove a thing, and Wright must be given credit for his terrific performance. But Arum on Sunday couldn't help but wonder.

"I'm very, very suspicious, still, of Mosley in his preparation for his fight against Oscar," said Arum, De La Hoya's promoter and president of Top Rank Inc. "The whole BALCO thing is very suspicious. I couldn't make the allegations he was taking steroids, because I wouldn't know and I want to make that plain.

"But he went up to BALCO. He may have thought he was taking nutrients. But if you are taking nutrients, why are you going up to San Francisco? We know BALCO was dealing in steroids because of all the other athletes involved.

"That is all we know. The question he was asked was, 'Did he know he was taking steroids?' Maybe he didn't know, but if he was, he was."

Mosley was tested after his fight with De La Hoya, who a year earlier had fought a steroid-filled Fernando Vargas, knocking out Vargas in the 11th round.

"The test they had at the time, they were not able to test this THG, because the test wasn't designed for that," Arum said. THG is a steroid allegedly produced by BALCO and was designed to be undetectable in conventional testing.

Along different Winky Wright lines, Arum said he was impressed with his performance, Mosley's physical condition notwithstanding.

"I assumed that Winky had a hell of a shot to beat him and I thought it was a really stupid fight for Mosley to take," he said.

Mosley had been praised by some for taking on Wright, who was bound to be tough. But there were many who criticized him for fighting Wright for $2.1 million, instead of taking on De La Hoya in a trilogy for what could have been as much as $14 million.

Now that Wright is a free agent, Arum was asked if he would think again of promoting Wright, who the past five fights has been promoted by Roy Jones Jr. Their contract has expired.

Arum was Wright's promoter when he beat Robert Frazier to win the International Boxing Federation belt Oct. 12, 2001. Arum said he then offered Wright $1.5 million to fight Mosley, but the offer was turned down "by Wright's people."

They parted ways, and Wright was picked up by Jones. Would Arum want to re-sign Wright?

"The answer is yes," he said. "But in my humble opinion, even though his contract has expired apparently, he owes a lot to Roy Jones and I think he shouldn't forget who supported him in those years leading up to his fight with Mosley.

"I know business is business. But Jones did more for him than any other promoter, including Top Rank, would have done."

Arum, therefore, said he will not pursue Wright. But he will make him an offer if Wright comes to him.

"If he came to me and asked me to make him a proposal, yes, I would make him a proposal," Arum said.

Wright is bound to a rematch clause Mosley had in their contract. That would be his next fight, unless Mosley decides he doesn't want it. In that case, the path would be clear for Wright-Felix Trinidad Jr.

By Robert Morales

I think it's understandable to be suspicious of anyone who had links with BALCO. It stinks to high heaven. Here is a company who set out to defraud the sporting world. Dwain Chambers now says that he 'never knowingly' took steroids - until he was banged to rights he was unequivocal in his total denials. Rubbish. As Michael Johnson (the sprinter, not the fighter) said "He's a grown man."

As far as I'm aware, THG gets injected under the tongue. What type of nutrient would you have to take like that?

Then again, the self-induced naviety kicks in and I try to believe that at least some athletes are duped rather than willing participants.

I'm not saying that Mosley took steroids...but it is understandable to think twice, purely by association. And, unfortunately, I do think there is a lot more of it goes on than even the pessimistic would like to accept.

Shane has just announced he is no longer to be trained by his father. He will announce a new trainer shortly.

It's strange the attitude boxing has to steroids.
Someone like Vargas is caught red handed trying to cheat in a superfight and he's given a slap on the wrist, and is still as popular as ever.

Then just look at the way sprinter Ben Johnson is treated for the same. His reputation is almost on par with Jack The Ripper since being caught.

Am I missing something here? What's the difference?

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:I think it's understandable to be suspicious of anyone who had links with BALCO. It stinks to high heaven. Here is a company who set out to defraud the sporting world. Dwain Chambers now says that he 'never knowingly' took steroids - until he was banged to rights he was unequivocal in his total denials. Rubbish. As Michael Johnson (the sprinter, not the fighter) said "He's a grown man."

As far as I'm aware, THG gets injected under the tongue. What type of nutrient would you have to take like that?

Then again, the self-induced naviety kicks in and I try to believe that at least some athletes are duped rather than willing participants.

I'm not saying that Mosely took steroids...but it is understandable to think twice, purely by association. And, unfortunately, I do think there is a lot more of it goes on than even the pessimistic would like to accept.

Good post and I agree with you, as part of my studies I have done a few modules and a thesis on drugs and sport. I have to say I completely agree with your last sentence.

However, there are so many ways to disguise the fact you have been taking drugs. It would be especially easy in boxing - I am not sure how long THG is in the system (i.e. how many days/weeks you need to stop taking it before you pass the test). However, I would imagine that any boxer could reap the rewards of THG in the training and then get off in time for you to test negative. The effects of the drug will then still be seen in the fight, but you won't be found guilty.

I'm not saying Moseley's training regime has changed, but just because a scientific breakthrough has been found in the detection of THG doesn't mean to say fighters will not use it.

MightyWarrior wrote:It's strange the attitude boxing has to steroids.
Someone like Vargas is caught red handed trying to cheat in a superfight and he's given a slap on the wrist, and is still as popular as ever.

Then just look at the way sprinter Ben Johnson is treated for the same. His reputation is almost on par with Jack The Ripper since being caught.

Am I missing something here? What's the difference?

RJJ was given an even lighter slap on the wrist and he is, probably, regarded by many as being the sport's leading light!

I think with athletics the difference in performance is much more tangible and obvious. If a sprinter is slower than the no1 by 0.10, it is likely that if he takes steroids he can beat him. An increase of 0.1 over 100m can mean the difference between sixth and gold.

In boxing, the difference may be less obvious but may not be any less effective. As with many aspects of boxing, those at the top appear content to put up with dirt and even allow it to prosper. The sport, in its drug testing, is behind many sports and is certainly behind track and field, who lead the way.

THG is only detectable for four days after taking it. Apparently.

Dont like the idea that Mosely was on steriods. It is almost inconceivable that, when at possibly his best, as a Lightweight he was on them. How would he have maintained his low body weight?
I dont know much about them to be honest, but I would imagine IF he has used TGH etc it would be as he moved through the weight classes.

'Power Boxing' now looks like a dead-in-the-water boxing technique.

Fair play to Shane for changing trainers. Probably too late to make a difference now though...

Would've thought if there was any truth in allegations it would be when he moved ( or bulked ) up to light middle, not at lightweight.

Bear in mind this comes from Bob Arum, a man not know for telling the truth very often.

As far as the Mosley split is concerned i am pleased for Mosley and think it was the correct move for him, the urgency was certainly not there in the corner when it was needed. A third party training camp will improve Mosley i feel.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:RJJ was given an even lighter slap on the wrist and he is, probably, regarded by many as being the sport's leading light!

Nothing was ever proven in that case - both fighters tested positive for something in the initial round of testing, but the inept Indiana commission discarded the samples before a more-sensitive followup test could be done in order to prove guilt (or innocence.) The supplement (Ripped Fuel) that Jones admitted to taking has been widely cited as "containing a banned steroid," but that is factually incorrect - that version of RF contained the herbal stimulant ephedra, which was legal in many sports at the time, has since been banned in most, but is not a steroid. That makes more sense than the steroid allegation anyway, because we're talking about someone who had been comfortable at 175 for years, and for whom the only issue vs. an opponent like Hall (who was so thoroughly dominated in every aspect of the game that there was simply no need for Jones to risk flunking a drug test) would have been making weight.

OTOH, Mosley's affiliation with BALCO labs, and the fact that the breaking of the scandal (and corresponding ability to test for the previously-undetectable THG) happens to coincide with one of the most lackluster performances of Shane's career, is quite troublesome - however, I am loath to raise the issue in the absence of concrete proof because I don't want to risk unfairly detracting from Wright's stellar performance.

And a proven crook like Fat Bob Arum accusing someone else of crookedness is very much the pot calling the kettle black. Arum and DLH are justifiably keen to do anything in their power to explain away DLH's loss last year, while already having plotted Oscar's path to a completely farcical "world title in a record 6th weight class" by way of the green-behind-the-ears patsy Sturm (and I hope Felix proves everybody wrong about that, but I'm just trying to see it the way Oscar and Briber Bob surely do.)

I think with athletics the difference in performance is much more tangible and obvious. If a sprinter is slower than the no1 by 0.10, it is likely that if he takes steroids he can beat him. An increase of 0.1 over 100m can mean the difference between sixth and gold.

In boxing, the difference may be less obvious but may not be any less effective. As with many aspects of boxing, those at the top appear content to put up with dirt and even allow it to prosper. The sport, in its drug testing, is behind many sports and is certainly behind track and field, who lead the way.

I agree that the state boxing's drug testing is nearly as big a joke as that of Major League Baseball. However, the problems in those 2 sports have completely different causes. In baseball, it's a joke because the players (whose union is very powerful) and the owners (who have a financial interest in keeping the players happy) have thus far agreed to allow it to be so, and the fans (who want to see recirds broken and offensive fireworks) have gone along with the charade. In boxing, there is no league, there is just the multitude of alphabet soup sanctioning organizations, and (at least in the U.S.) the various state commissions, and even states completely lacking a commission. Some states (e.g. Nevada) have a very strong commissioner and very thorough drug and prefight medical testing policies, but others (e.g. Indiana) are a completely different story.