I'm of the belief that most, if not all, elite level boxers have taken some kind of PED at some point. Without bringing any anecdotal evidence into account, or any statistics, I would say that boxers are often injured. There are a lot of injuries that would require a prescription of steroids, which means the likelihood that a boxer will be exposed, via DRs recommendation, is high. Also begs the question: Is steroid use outside of competition acceptable? Just trying to get a feel of the consensus on this forum. Thoughts?
It's been pretty widespread since the 80's IMO. Spinks-Holmes was the tipping point where they started going from being more uncommon to mainstream.
Yeah it was definitely clear there lol. I think it probably ramped up around that time too. Still though, sometimes I wonder... Testosterone esthers were synthesized in the 30s. By 1968 officials in the Olympics believe anabolic steroid use is fairly widespread. I look at a guy like George Foreman in his prime and I think, definitely maybe.
The fact that so many top level Fighters are getting caught is a real worry. If these regularly tested guys are getting done, what is happening down the ladder where it's too costly to regularly or randomly test. Unfortunately the punishment doesn't fit the crime. One failed test should result in a lifetime ban for the Boxer and his Trainer.
I do think they were around prior to it. Think of how important the Olympics were...it's been well documented that they were entrenched on the U.S. Olympic team by 1968, and not just the weightlifters, but the track and fielders as well. I have no way to prove anything, but it would be plausible they'd have made their way into U.S. boxing around the same time. And if they were around then, it wouldn't have taken long for them to start getting into the pro game. The 80's is really the latest and when it really got big (heck they weren't even banned in boxing lol), but I'm sure it was more widespread even in the 70's than people would want to believe, and that's if you think it took years for them to make the jump from amateurs to pros.
It’s been rampant but I wanna say the late 97 to 2004 and 2008 to 2017 was probably the dirtiest periods.. I mean I’m convinced that Floyd, Pac and Marquez used PED at some point between 2008 to 2017.. I can almost pinpoint fights in my personal opinion like Pac vs Tony, Marquez vs Pac 4, Floyd vs Mosley.. And then I have personal beliefs that Roy Jones and Shane Mosley to go along with James Toney was juiced to the gills during the prime of their careers in the late 90s early 2000s.. Each one has popped hot at some point.. We might be in the midst of a roid surge due to covid-19 because I believe right now at least 4 top 10 fighters in each division is taking advantage of the testing orgs inability to perform random test at the moment..
