Guillermo Rigondeaux, the Cuban former Olympic champion, has agreed to a pre-condition of possible foe Nonito Donaire Jr. to submit himself to tests in order to rule out the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
However, Rigondeaux (11-0-0 with eight knockouts) is reportedly only willing to undergo an Olympic-style doping test, which is not as accurate as the one Donaire subscribes to under the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
In a boxingscene.com report written by Ryan Maquinana, Rigondeaux’s manager Gary Hyde said they don’t have any problem with random drug testing if and when the Cuban and Donaire agree to a super bantamweight unification bout.
With his projected high-stakes fight with WBC 122-pound champ Abner Mares of Mexico still unclear because of conflicts involving their promoters, Donaire could end up battling Rigondeaux.
Donaire—the WBO king who has just been adjudged the 2012 Fighter of the Year by ESPN and RingTV.com.—earlier balked at the idea of fighting the 32-year-old Rigondeaux.
The Filipino later said he would ask Rigondeaux to undergo drug testing if they meet in the ring this year.
“I would like to do that (random testing), especially now that people are asking for it,” Donaire told boxingscene.com’s Dennis D’Source Guillermo. “Random is good, so we can help clean boxing’s reputation. If they want me to … fight them, then I have to request them to fight fair. It’s an even trade.”
Rigondeaux, who earned legendary status in the amateur ranks with a reported 600 fights under his belt, is said to have hired the services of Angel Heredia, the controversial strength and conditioning coach of Juan Manuel Marquez who had been linked in the past to banned substances.
Donaire’s nutritionist Victor Conte said Olympic-style doping doesn’t have as much CIR (carbon isotope ratio) to isolate and measure banned synthetic testosterone.
Incidentally, Conte himself had been convicted of supplying performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.
To make up for his past indiscretions, Conte told American sportswriters he would help clean boxing of banned substances.