David Benavidez says David Morrell complained about the drug testing for their February 1st fight, and he believes he doesn’t want to be tested by VADA.
WBA interim light heavyweight champion Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) is suspicious, saying that WBA ‘ordinary’ champion Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs) may be worried that “something might pop up” in one of his tests.
Benavidez plays the PED card
Some fans see Benavidez’s complaints as him building the early groundwork for a PED excuse ahead of time to blame a potential loss to Morrell on possible steroid use.
Just by mentioning Benaivdez during the buildup to steroids, people will view a win by Morrell with suspicion. Morrell didn’t even have to test positive for PEDs for people to believe he used because of the association of steroids with his name during the build-up.
Benavidez would receive less criticism from fans, and his stock won’t drop nearly as badly if they believe Morrell is dirty. It won’t matter that Morrell never tested positive for a steroid. Mentioning it by Benavidez during interviews would lead people to believe that Morrell was using PEDS, and that would taint his victory.
“When he fought, look at the people he fought with. They said they did VADA, and they didn’t let David Morrell do VADA,” David Benavidez told MillCity Boxing. “There were two different fighters who did it.
“He tried to pull the same s*** on me because we’re 13 weeks into the game. When I fought Caleb Plant, we started testing 14 weeks out. Boo Boo Andrade 14 weeks out. How is it that this guy (Morrell) comes into his biggest fight ever, and he doesn’t have to do any VADA, and he’s already 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 s*** looks pretty weird. He also says that he is a lab rat because he is being tested. It is what it is. It is clean box. We do VADA every week or every other week.
It would be better if Benavidez didn’t discuss PEDs before 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 with these VADA tests,” Benavidez said. Me, I have been tested in VADA more than anyone, and these are facts. I have been tested more than 30 times, and I never complained. I never said I was a lab rat.
“This guy (Morrell) has barely been tested three times, and he says he’s a lab rat. Go watch the fights and watch the people accusing him. Me, I was never accused of using steroids. Then if you see the press conference, as soon as I said, ‘Steroids, you didn’t want to test,’ that’s when Luis DeCubas got up and started talking a ***. Then they walked away.
“So, I don’t know. You guys be the judge of that. I point things out, but you guys aren’t going to play me like I’m an idiot. If there are VADA tests, then we do them, and let us box clean,” said Benavidez.
