Rigondeaux has no issue with drug testing...

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

The highly-anticipated super-bantamweight unification bout between Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux now seems in doubt after Nonito Donaire took to Twitter yesterday and released the following statement:

“I want you guys to hear it from me first. I am NOT going to NYC for the presser this Thursday [because] Rigo is backing off his agreement to VADA drug testing. Rigo's team verbally agreed to VADA testing both online and in negotiations. But now that the contract to start testing is infront of them, they are finding every excuse not to sign and delay the start of the testing. I have NOT signed my fight contract yet to fight him so I have no obligation to fight ONLY HIM. It disappoints me that top fighters these days run from everything that will hold professional boxing integrity to its highest standard. I will be looking into other opponents with my manager, Cameron Dunkin immediately."

However, Rigondeaux's team have responded to the Filipino's allegations, and claim that their fighter has absolutely no problem with the VADA random drug testing. His manager Gary Hyde also stated that it was part of the 30-year old's Olympic training program during his amateur days in Cuba.

Nonito Donaire to engage in year-round drug testing!

Super-bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire.

Super-bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire will become the first ever professional boxer to engage in year-round drug testing. The Filipino has enrolled in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) according to his consultant Victor Conte.

When VADA was conceived, this was the ulitmate goal," explained Conte. "Whether Nonito has a fight or doesn't have a fight, he wants to go above and beyond anything Floyd Mayweather has done as far as drug testing goes. This is going to be true Olympic style 365-24/7 drug testing."

Donaire's next fight is against Jeffrey Mathebula on July 7th. Due to scheduling conflicts he will start the testing as early as July 8th (the day after the bout). Donaire's future opponents will also be free to use this style of drug testing.

"They will politely be offered a sponsorship eight weeks out so they will have the same opportunity as Nonito to show they have nothing to hide... It will have the highest standard of testing available. If they don't want the testing, the media will get to say what they think about that."

According to Conte, Donaire was more than willing to enrol in VADA and is happy to be a role model to all of the younger fighters and children out there so hopefully they will do the same.

"When it came to who would to step up and do this, Nonito doesn't ask people, he tells people," said Conte. "That's what he's about. He's a leader. He's going to make history here and help save boxing."

This is a great thing for a world class fighter to do. Although Donaire is not one of the most popular fighters in the world. He is relatively well known and could become even more popular in the future. Hopefully now, other fighters will be willing to engage this type of drug testing. As Conte said, this could be something that will help save boxing.

Andre Berto may not have been cheating!

A further analysis of Andre Berto's failed VADA drug test reveal traces nandrolone so minute that is almost certainly contamination, rather than an attempt to cheat. It could have even been picked mistakenly in some sort of food or supplement.

Gabriel Montoya revealed all there is to know last night: "Sources have informed me that analysis of Berto's positive tests results for nandrosterone (a metabolic byproduct of nandrolone) revealed "ultra-trace amounts of Nandrolone in the low parts per trillion range and consistent with contamination not intent... In other words, the amount in his system is so minute [very little] that it is highly unlikely that he intentionally ingested nandrolone but was rather contaminated by food or a supplement."


Now, this is definitely good news for Berto and his team but there's still going to be those people who never believe this story and will always have Andre Berto and his team down as drug cheats. 


One thing that has been proved, is that these VADA tests work very well and they will pick up any illegal substance that is in your body so there is no way of cheating the test. This is good for the sport but not always good for the fighters as they may not be taking these substances in an attempt to cheat. It's likely that they just don't know what it is or they don't actually even know they are using it, if they have picked it up in food, drink or supplement.


Victor Ortiz's manager Rolando Arrelano spoke out in support of the tests and thinks that this type of testing should be embraced by all.


"If you are reluctant to hire someone or something that's going to improve your sport and protect the safety of the fighter, then that's a problem. That's not what this is supposed to be about. The fighters are the essence of the sport. Without them, there's no managers, no promoters and no boxing content," said Arellano. "So as a sport, we need to take care of the people who provide paychecks for all of us. If you're not looking out for the fighter, I mean, if that's the case, then that means that you're condoning potentially illegal substances for the purpose of the almighty dollar."


All of this means one thing, boxers and their trainers are going to have to become experts and make sure they know whatever they are taking is legal. This is harder than it sounds because it's impossible to know sometimes. VADA are probably going to have to offer lessons and advice to those who want it so they can make sure that they know what is going into their body.