David Benavidez says David Morrell has complained about the drug testing for their fight on February 1 and he believes he does not want to be tested by VADA.
WBA interim light heavyweight champion Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is suspicious, saying WBA ‘regular’ champion Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) may be concerned “something could pop up” at one of his tests.
Benavidez is playing the PED card
Some fans see Benavidez’s complaints as him building the early foundation for one PED excuse beforehand to blame Morrell for potential steroid use.
Just by Benaivdez mentioning steroids during the build-up, people will view a win by Morrell with suspicion. Morrell didn’t even have to test positive for PEDs for people to believe he was using because of the connection between steroids and his name during the build-up.
Benavidez would receive less criticism from fans, and his stock wouldn’t drop nearly as badly if they thought Morrell was dirty. It wouldn’t matter that Morrell never tested positive for a steroid. The mention of it by Benavidez during interviews would lead people to believe that Morrell used PEDS and that would tarnish his victory.
“When he was fighting, go look at the people he was fighting. They said they were doing VADA and they didn’t get David Morrell to do VADA,” David Benavidez told MillCity Boxing. “There were two different fighters, who did it.
“He tried to pull the same ass on me because we’re 13 weeks into the fight. When I fought Caleb Plant we started testing 14 weeks out. Boo Boo Andrade 14 weeks out. How’s he doing [Morrell] coming into his biggest fight ever and he doesn’t have to do any VADA and he’s already been accused of steroid use.
“I’m not saying he’s on steroids or anything like that, but once you don’t try to take the VADA test, the dirt looks kind of weird. He also says he’s a lab rat because he’s being tested. This is what it is. It’s pure boxing. We do VADA every week or every two weeks.
It would be better if Benavidez didn’t discuss PEDs prior to the fight because it seems like he’s already planning an excuse if things don’t work out in his favor in the fight with Morrell.
“If you don’t like it, you’re probably doing something, or you’re probably a little concerned that something might come up on these VADA tests,” Benavidez said. Me, I have been tested more than anyone else in VADA and that is the fact. I have been tested over 30 times and I have never complained. I never said I was a lab rat.
“This guy [Morrell] hardly been tested three times and he says he’s a lab rat. Go watch the matches and watch the people accusing him. I have never been accused of taking steroids. When you watch the press conference, as soon as I said, ‘Steroids, you didn’t want to test,’ Luis DeCubas stood up and started talking. Then they went away.
“So I don’t know. You guys have to be the judge of that. I point things out, but you’re not going to play me like I’m an idiot. If there’s VADA testing, let’s do it, and let’s be pure boxing,” Benavidez said.
