Is Marquez taking PEDs?

It’s unusual that Juan Manuel Marquez has bulked up so much without gaining too many pounds and there is speculation he could be taking performance-enhancing-drugs (PEDs)  particularly as his conditioning coach Angel Hernandez, previously known as Memo Heredia, has a tainted history of dealing illegal substances.

Marquez has never weighed more than 142 pounds for any fight. He hit the limit twice in facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2009 and Manny Pacquiao last November. Curiously, Marquez lost both bouts and even crashed to the canvas once in bowing to Mayweather via a lopsided decision. Last April, Marquez was back in the ring to meet trialhorse Serhiy Fedchenko and tipped the scales at 140 but what stunned fans was his newly sculpted physique. There was clear definition in his bulging biceps and his neck was thicker than usual. He looked bigger than he did for the Pacquiao fight five months before but surprisingly, was two pounds less at the weigh-in for Fedchenko.

Marquez never floored Fedchenko and settled for a comfortable win on points but tried desperately to score a knockout in front of his adoring fans in Mexico City. The added bulk appeared to weigh Marquez down. He seemed slower, his reflexes a split second delayed. It doesn’t necessarily follow that if you’re bigger, you’re stronger. You might think it until you wonder why your opponent isn’t going down despite getting hit. Sometimes, that’s what performance-enhancing drugs can do to you - you think you’re Superman overnight but you’re just a blown-up bag of mass.

This isn’t to say that Marquez is on PEDs. Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said it’s unnatural for Marquez to bulk up so quickly but never mentioned anything about illegal drugs. In a private conversation at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles last week, Roach said he never accused Marquez of taking steroids. “I mentioned it was unnatural but even if you’re lifting weights, that’s something unnatural,” he said. Hernandez has threatened to sue Roach for the alleged accusation which Roach has denied.

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It’s anybody’s guess what Marquez will weigh for the fight tomorrow night (Sunday morning, Manila). The weigh-in is scheduled in Las Vegas this afternoon and all eyes will be on the scales when Marquez checks in. The weight limit is 147 which is where Pacquiao was for the Timothy Bradley last June.

Hernandez, 36, testified in San Francisco in 2008 that he supplied illegal substances to track stars Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, escaping a prison sentence as a state witness in the process. He has been known to deal blood-boosters, growth hormones and insulin as a way to enhance athletic performance.

Marquez is essentially a natural lightweight but had to bulk up because the big-money fights were in higher weight divisions. “I think as a fighter, you must change,” said Marquez who in November 2007, scaled 128 pounds for his win over Rocky Juarez in Tucson. “I’ve always fought as a lightweight. I have to gain weight and somehow, I have to get up there and still keep my speed and power.” Marquez was quoted in the HBO series 24/7.

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Hernandez, a graduate of exercise science at the University of Texas A&M, introduced state-of-the-art drills to prepare Marquez for Pacquiao. Marquez, who used to drink his own urine because he thought it would add to this strength, embraced Hernandez’ regimen. “A lot of the drills focus on speed and strength in his arms and shoulders,” said Hernandez, quoted by The Ring’s Lem Satterfield. “So his reactions will be more about muscle balance.” Marquez said Hernandez has done wonders in building up his body for Pacquiao. “It’s something that I’ve never done in my career,” added the Mexican on HBO. “I really feel confident. I think that when the time comes, it will serve me well.”

Marquez, 39, isn’t getting any younger and there’s an incredible amount of wear and tear in his body. Conditioning will be a key element in determining the outcome of his fourth encounter with Pacquiao. Marquez turned pro in 1993 and has logged 456 rounds in 61 fights. Pacquiao made his pro debut two years later and has fought 365 rounds in 60 bouts. The Mexican has worked 91 more rounds than Pacquiao even if he has figured in just one more fight, meaning his grind has been a lot tougher.

Marquez worked out in high-altitude training in Mexico City and Toluca to fill his tank up with gas. He’ll need a lot of stamina to survive a long haul with Pacquiao who is relentless as a volume puncher. If Marquez weighs in more than 142, he will be the heaviest ever for a fight and the added poundage may be to his disadvantage. If Marquez is slower because of his weight, he’ll be easier to target and hit. If he thinks he’s stronger because of his bulk, Marquez might gamble and go aggressive instead of wait to counter-punch. If Marquez decides to engage, it could prove tragic because that’s the style Pacquiao prefers. Whether or not Marquez is on PEDs, one man is going down for good and it’s not going to be Pacquiao.