There’s zero Clomiphene in these huevos of mine. So, rest assured that when you get this special Friday money shot of gooey, salty truth, it’ll be 100% freshly-squeezed natural nastiness. This week, we have comments/questions regarding Conor Benn, Tim Tszyu- Tony Harrison, and the ultimate legend vs. legend exhibition.
Conor Benn’s Huevos
Hello Paul.
Hope all is well.
How about sharing your thoughts on the whole Connor Benn fiasco. Is VADA too strict？Maybe Canelo did eat bad meat and Oscar Valdez did drink an energy drink.
Should Connor be able to sue? That is a year salary he lost, not including the money spent on training. And what of his reputation and mental stress?
Something ain't right here.
Thanks
– B.C
Hey B.C.
I’m going to start this off by saying that I do not believe Conor Benn’s claims of innocence and I have zero confidence in the WBC’s “clearing” of the fighter, which was pretty much entirely based on Benn’s claim that he ate an “excessive” amount of eggs tainted with the banned substance Clomiphene. The second generation fighter has reportedly not been cooperating with the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) or the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), which have significantly more stringent requirements for reinstatement.
There’s just a lot that ain’t right with Benn’s story. Notably, the particular hormone in question is prohibited for use in poultry in the UK and it would be cost-prohibitive to use that substance in any black market/off-the-books poultry setup (if such things even exist). Most (if not all) European nations have a similar ban on the hormone. So, where, exactly, did he get this vast quantity of tainted eggs and why did he pop negative for that same banned substance earlier last year as well (in a positive test that, for some reason, never saw the light of day until Benn’s second failed test)?
In the case of Canelo’s positive test for Clenbuterol in 2018, Alvarez blamed it on ingestion of tainted beef. To back up his case, he provided receipts for where he ate the beef and there was a subsequent investigation tracing that meat back to the slaughter house where it came from. He also submitted himself to a hair follicle test, which showed that the amount of Clenbuterol in his system was consistent with accidental ingestion via tainted beef.
Benn did none of that and has conducted himself belligerently towards the agencies that matter in proving his innocence. He, pretty much literally, has no argument other than “I ate a lot of eggs that were probably tainted.”
In the athletic world, Clomiphene is a known doping agent which boosts the level of testosterone in an athlete. In the poultry world, at least in the UK and surrounding areas, it’s not in use.
Unless some other evidence pops up, I call BS on Benn and his story.
Tszyu-Harrison / The Ultimate Exhibition (Pacquiao vs. Chavez)
Hi Paul
Hoping you and your family are fine...
I was talking with one of my boxing friends the other day and I told him that it is my belief that if promoters were interested in just generating PPVs through exhibitions, Youtubers or cross-sport fights, your safest bet would be Pacquiao vs Chavez.
I am not 100% confident on my pick because the PPV markets (if any) have changed from 99-2010 up until today, but at the same time, I have always identified the Mexican-American and Mexican population living here in US as the ones doing most of the PPVs.
Chavez will always be Chavez, he enjoys fighting in short distance and he was so popular during the 90s that people still remember him. Pacquiao, was always identified as a Mexican killer even though he did not like identifying himself as one, so this would ultimately be labeled as THE Mexican vs THE Mexican killer.
If you have Eddie Hearn's number by any chance, you can text him and tell him this was my idea and I would only charge him 1-2% of earnings. I am not a greedy individual.
OK, so now coming back to reality. In my mind, I still got flashes of Tim Tszyu being knocked down by Terrell Gausha. That whole fight told me that Tszyu, while an excellent offensive fighter, is still lacking defense. We know that a good fundamental fighter will always take advantage of these deficiencies, but at the same time Tony Harrison seems to be way past his best and he might not have the timing nor speed to keep Tszyu off him. What do you think?
Best regards.
– Miguel
Hey Miguel.
As exhibitions go, Pacquiao-Chavez is as good as any. Although Chavez is a relatively battered 60 years of age and Pacquiao is a young 44-year-old. And, believe me, you’d be better off with Hearn if you DIDN’T tie yourself to me in any way, shape, or form. I’m not his favorite media member, lol.
Tszyu’s defense is a gaping hole in his game and it could be the factor that keeps him a high-end regional talent rather than a true world stage player. Hopefully (for him), he’s been addressing that weakness. Harrison has all the tools to beat Tszyu and, really, he may just need two-- the jab and the straight right hand. Harrison’s age doesn’t worry me all that much, but his tendency to coast and a general lack of urgency in his performances does. I’m actually leaning Harrison in this bout, but he’s going to have to fight hard the full 12. Tszyu won’t quit coming and, plus, he’s fighting at home. Harrison will have to beat him without a shadow of a doubt and, maybe, even stop him to win.
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