Roach insists on Mosley drug test

MANILA, Philippines –  Boxing trainer Freddie Roach will insist on Sugar Shane Mosley taking a drug test before battling Manny Pacquiao in case they face off in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 7.

“It won’t be an easy fight for Manny,” said Roach who arrived here to celebrate Pacquiao’s 32nd birthday and was scheduled to leave Manila for Los Angeles last night. “I think he’s a tougher opponent than (Andre) Berto or (Juan Manuel) Marquez. He can punch with either hand. But if the fight pushes through, I’ll insist on a drug test. He’s been known to take steroids and it shows in his body.”

In 2003, Mosley admitted in a US grand jury testimony that he took the performance-enhancing drug EPO or erythroprotein by injection to prepare for his fight against Oscar de la Hoya. EPO supposedly increases the volume of red blood cells and the oxygen-carrying capacity in the blood. Additionally, BALCO Labs founder Vince Conte once testified that Mosley has used two types of designer steroids. Mosley’s former trainer Darryl Hudson confirmed it. Designer drugs are created “to get around drug laws by modifying molecular structures of existing drugs to varying degrees.” A government raid on BALCO facilities yielded evidence of Mosley’s drug use.

But Mosley has never tested positive for drugs. “I know in my heart that I’m a clean guy and a good guy,” he said, quoted by Tim Smith in the New York Daily News. “All the fighters, promoters and even the boxing writers know what type of person I am, what type of fighter I am and I don’t need that type of edge. My record speaks for itself on this matter. I’ve always been a clean fighter and I have nothing to hide. That one little hiccup should never have happened and it won’t happen again.”

Mosley’s “little hiccup” referred to his grand jury testimony.

Roach said it’s difficult to explain why the 39-year-old Mosley let Floyd Mayweather Jr. off the hook when he rocked him with a pair of rights in the second round during their bout last May. “Mosley could’ve taken out Mayweather but he froze,” said Roach. “I don’t know why he let him go. Maybe, it was a result of having taken drugs in the past. That kind of thing does something to your brain. But he looked good in knocking out (Antonio) Margarito.”

Mosley dropped Margarito twice en route to scoring a ninth round technical knockout in Los Angeles last year. Pacquiao couldn’t floor Margarito in their recent bout and settled for a win on points.

Roach said Mosley, a 4-1 underdog, was devastating in trouncing Margarito and won’t be easy prey for Pacquiao even if he lost to Mayweather and drew with Sergio Mora in his last two outings.

Roach ruled out Marquez as Pacquiao’s next opponent. He earlier said Pacquiao would shut Marquez up for good in a possible third meeting after they fought to a draw in 2004 and the Filipino icon won by a split decision in 2008. “I heard Marquez wants double than what he got for fighting Mayweather,” said Roach. “I don’t think that’s right. Marquez wants something like $5 million.” Mayweather decisioned Marquez last year.

As for Mayweather, Roach said Pretty Boy hasn’t mentioned anything about fighting Pacquiao lately. Mayweather has been embroiled in legal problems. The consensus is he’s afraid to risk his unblemished record in a fight against Pacquiao but with his legal woes and pressure to cough up settlement money, the mega-buck showdown is inevitable.

Roach said once Pacquiao is done with his May 7 appointment, next in line could be the winner of the Jan. 29 lightwelterweight unification bout between WBO champion Tim Bradley and WBC titlist Devon Alexander at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Bradley, 27, has a 26-0 record, with 11 KOs, while Alexander, 23, boasts a 21-0 mark, with 13 KOs.

Roach said WBA superlightweight champion Amir Khan of England and WBA welterweight ruler Viacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine could be future opponents even as he trains both fighters.

“Amir showed a lot of heart in beating (Marcos) Maidana (last Dec. 11),” said Roach. “He even finished with a flurry in the 12th round. Amir does a lot of things that Manny does, like bang his gloves together. I don’t think they’ll ever fight but if they do, I see Amir winning the first four rounds, mainly because of his speed, then Manny will take over and break him down.”

As for Senchenko, Roach said he doesn’t know if the Ukrainian will ever fight Pacquiao. “Never say never,” continued Roach. “If they fight, of course, I’ll be in Manny’s corner and Senchenko’s old trainer will be in his. There’ll be something to fight for because Senchenko has a belt.”

Roach was in Senchenko’s corner when he beat Charlie Jose Navarro on points to retain his WBA 147-pound crown in Donetsk last August. Roach was paid $10,000 a week to train Senchenko for six weeks and also received 10 percent of his purse.   

Roach said there is talk that WBA superwelterweight champion Miguel Cotto will stake his crown against his unbeaten protégé Vanes Martirosyan, an Armenia native, with the winner to face Margarito. “Vanes has a chance against Cotto because of his length, youth, speed and skills,” said Roach. “But Cotto is the type who comes right at you. Vanes has a tendency to run away from trouble. I’ve told him if he wants to beat Cotto, he’ll have to stand his ground.”

Roach said he recently released one of his hot prospects, 18-year-old lightwelterweight Jose Benavidez who has a record of 9-0, with 9 KOs. “He’s back in Phoenix,” said Roach. “It was difficult to deal with his dad.”

When does he think Pacquiao should retire? “After beating Mayweather, that should be it,” replied Roach.