Roach gives Paquiao clean bill of health March 12, 2010
Four-time trainer of the year Freddie Roach says he has handled two boxers who used illegal substances and despite allegations from Floyd Mayweather's camp one of them is not Manny Pacquiao.
Filipino superstar Pacquiao puts his World Boxing Organization welterweight title on the line Saturday when he faces Joshua Clottey in a 12-round fight at Cowboys Stadium.
Pacquiao was involved in talks to fight Mayweather on the same date before negotiations broke off over a drug-testing dispute and allegations by Floyd Mayweather Sr that Pacquiao used performance-enhancing drugs.
"There is not a Philippine medicine out there that makes bullets bounce off soldiers," Roach said Thursday.
"I am against it in sports. If you can't do it naturally then I say don't do it. But that doesn't mean everyone is like that."
Pacquiao has vehemently denied using illegal substances and points out he has passed every drug test.
Roach, who has been Paquiao's trainer for eight years, said as soon as he heard the accusations he raised the issue with both Pacquiao and his strength coach Alex Ariza.
"After the allegations. I said 'Manny have you, do you know what steroids are?'
"He said, 'I have no idea.' He knows little about steroids. He knows less than I do."
Roach's probe also included a conversation with Ariza who assured Roach that Pacquiao is the real deal.
"Alex is a friend of mine. He works for me." Roach said. "My reputation is on the line with him. He assured me 100 percent there is nothing out there."
Roach said Pacquiao, who is on an 11-fight winning streak that includes eight knockouts, gets tested after every fight.
"He has never come up dirty," Roach said of Pacquiao. "The test is there for a reason."
Roach said two of his fighters, American James Toney and one other, likely used steroids without his knowledge but he doesn't think the problem is widespread in the sport.
In 2005, heavyweight Toney failed a doping test, testing positive for the steroid stanozolol.
"I don't think steroids in boxing is all that big. On a small scale it is out there but probably more with the bigger guys, the heavyweights because it causes so much weight gain."
Pacquiao's promoter called off the welterweight mega-fight with Mayweather after both sides couldn't agree on blood-testing protocol.
Pacquiao's camp wanted to submit blood tests 24 days before the fight while Mayweather wanted blood tests to be given 14 days prior.
Roach said Mayweather's accusations were simply a way to try and throw Pacquiao off his game plan. Pacquiao said giving blood so close to a fight would weaken him.
"Manny doesn't like to give blood and that was the perfect way to get Manny to give blood," Roach said. "If I found out Floyd had a weakness somewhere I would try to exploit it."
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