Is Boxing Phenomenon Manny Pacquiao Injecting Performance-Enhancing Drugs?

Is Boxing Phenomenon Manny Pacquiao Injecting Performance-Enhancing Drugs?

Almost a month ago, Floyd Mayweather Jr. went on an impassioned rant about performance-enhancing drugs in boxing.  When he was asked if he'd ever fight Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather jumped out of his chair, animatedly pounded his chest and said his health was more important to him than any amount of money or winning any boxing match.

The implication was obvious.  Mayweather believes Pacquiao's success was, at least in part, the result of performance-enhancing drugs.

Bradley, who will challenge Pacquiao on Saturday for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title in a pay-per-view bout at the MGM Grand Garden, doesn't share the same concerns as Mayweather.

The younger boxer is so eager to prove that he's one of the world's elite and that he'd fight Pacquiao even if he had proof Pacquiao had used an illegal substance.  He said that even if he saw Pacquiao injecting himself, he would still take the fight.

"He's going to have to be on something to beat me," Bradley said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Pacquiao is expected to win his 16th fight in a row, but Bradley scoffs at the idea. He's unbeaten, too, but not as famous as Pacquaio and few are likely to bet on him.

Bradley has exuded a quiet confidence since the day one the fight was made. Throughout training camp and fight week, his calm demeanor has never changed.

Pacquiao insiders say it is strangely similar to the way Pacquiao conducted himself before he fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2008.

Pacquiao is 33, an age when fighters begin to slip, particularly those closing in on 60 fights. Besides that, Pacquiao is also facing marital issues and his attention wasn't entirely on the task at hand.

"Tim Bradley is a hungry fighter, and young," Pacquiao said. "I know how he feels. That's why I trained like I was 20 years old. My team wanted me to stop training, but I kept pushing more and more because I know Bradley is inspired."

Joel Diaz, Bradley's trainer, agreed with Pacquiao on that. Diaz said there's been a spark to Bradley this time that he believes is indicative of something special.  Diaz predicted that Bradley will hand Pacquiao his first defeat since his loss to Erik Morales on March 19, 2005.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Saturday June 09 2012, 4:08 AM EST. Ref: Yahoo. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0