David Benavidez says David Morrell complained about drug testing for their Feb. 1 fight and he believes he doesn’t want to be tested by VADA.
WBA interim light heavyweight champion Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is wary, saying that “regular” WBA champ Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) may be worried that “something will come up” during one of his tests could”.
Benavidez plays the PED card
Some fans see Benavidez’s complaints as him laying the groundwork for one PED sorry prematurely attributing a possible loss for Morrell to possible steroid use.
The mere fact that Benaivdez mentions steroids in the build-up to the game makes people view a Morrell win with suspicion. Morrell wouldn’t even have to test positive for PEDs for people to think he used it due to the association of steroids with his name during the buildup.
Benavidez would receive less Criticism from fans, and his stock wouldn’t fall nearly as much if they believed Morrell was dirty. It wouldn’t matter that Morrell never tested positive for a steroid. Mentioning it by Benavidez in interviews would lead people to believe Morrell was using PEDS and it would affect his victory.
“If he fought, look at the people he fought. They said they did VADA and they didn’t get David Morrell to do VADA,” David Benavidez said MillCity boxes. “It was two different fighters who did this.
“He tried to do the same thing to me because we’ve been in the game for 13 weeks. When I fought Caleb Plant, we had already started testing for 14 weeks. Boo Boo Andrade, 14 weeks later. How come this guy (Morrell) gets into his biggest fight ever and he doesn’t have to do VADA and he’s already accused of steroid use?
“I’m not saying he’s on steroids or anything like that, but if you don’t try to do the VADA test, shit looks kinda weird. He also says he’s a lab rat because he’s being tested. That’s it. This is clean boxing. We do VADA every week or every two weeks.
It would be better if Benavidez didn’t talk about PEDs before the fight because it seems like he’s already planning an excuse if things don’t go his way in the fight with Morrell.
“If you don’t like it, you’re probably doing something, or you’re probably a little worried that something might happen with these VADA tests,” Benavidez said. I have been tested more than anyone else at VADA and these are facts. I have been tested over 30 times and have never complained. I never said I was a lab rat.
“This guy (Morrell) has barely been tested three times and says he’s a lab rat. Look at the fights and look at the people blaming him. I have never been accused of taking steroids. Then if you see the press conference, when I said, “Steroids, you didn’t want to test,” Luis DeCubas stood up and started talking. Then they went away.
“Well, I don’t know. You are the judge of that. I point things out, but you won’t play me like I’m an idiot. If there is VADA testing, let’s do it and let’s box clean,” Benavidez said.
