Prior to Juan Manuel Marquez's fourth fight with Manny Pacquiao, suspicions were raised about his strength trainer Angel Heredia, who had admitted to a grand jury that he provided athletes with performance enhancing drugs as a BALCO employee.
Then, eyebrows were raised at Marquez's ripped physique in the fourth Pacman bout, and they were arched even further when Marquez clocked Pacquiao in the sixth round, knocking him unconscious.
Now, Timothy Bradley is stopping short of saying Marquez is on steroids; but the implications are clear enough. Bradley says that both he and Marquez agreed to drug testing by VADA as well as the Nevada State Athletic Commission, but late in the game Marquez backed out of the VADA testing.
"To me, this (bleep) is suspicious. I don't give a damn what anyone says," Bradley said. "I'm not saying he's on anything, because I'll be legally sued, but it's too damn suspicious."
"Desert Storm" also said he's mostly pleased with the state commission's testing, which is about 95 percent up to VADA's code. However, according to USA Today, VADA is able to detect the use of synthetic steroids up to six months after use.
Bradley has a clause in his contract allowing him to walk away from the fight because of the drug-testing flap, but Bradley plans on going through with the bout. "Yes, I could have probably passed on this fight, but I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't." Bradley said. "If I don't, I'm in a bad position."
He described the consequences of pulling out of the much-hyped clash, and none of them were in his favor.
"Top Rank is ... spending a massive amount of money promoting this fight. HBO is promoting this fight. Everyone has a hand in this fight. At the last minute, I decide because he doesn't agree to the drug testing, I'll piss off my promoter, they'll probably not extend my contract. I'll piss off HBO, so they'll say we don't have another date for Tim Bradley this year. Then there's no business for me."
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