Random drug tests for Rios, Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - They’re putting Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios under the microscope for the anticipated welterweight showdown between the two brawlers on Nov. 24 at The Venetian in Macau.

Pacquiao’s chief adviser, Mike Koncz, yesterday said they had requested the United States Anti-Doping Agency or USADA to conduct the Olympic-style testing.

Koncz told www.boxingscene.com the request for the random testing before or after the fight does not have anything to do with the fact that Rios is now working with Angel Hernandez.

The controversial conditioning coach, who once admitted supplying illegal performance enhancers to elite athletes, worked for Juan Manuel Marquez in the Mexican’s latest fight with Pacquiao.

In four months, Hernandez turned Marquez into a 147 lb monster, and the result was a devastating knockout the sport of boxing hadn’t seen in recent years. 

Hernandez denied that Marquez used any illegal enhancers, and the shocking victory was a result of four months of hard work the Mexican had never done before.

Rios has called in Hernandez, also known as Memo Heredia, to his camp, six months before the showdown in Macau.

If Hernandez has the blueprint in beating Pacquiao, then the 27-year-old Rios now has the rights on it.

Random testing under the USADA means that its doping control officers can knock on the doors of either fighter “at any time, at any location, without any advanced notice.”

They can collect blood or urine samples or both in the months, weeks, days and hours before or shortly after the fight.

Koncz confirmed with www.boxingscene.com that they were the ones who made the request.

“Yes, I can confirm that we requested the USADA testing. We’ve never had anything to hide nor do we have anything to hide now,” Koncz was quoted as saying.

“We just want to give the fans a clean fight and avoid any type of speculation or accusations once this fight is done,” Koncz added.

It’s the first time Pacquiao, who badly needs a victory following two successive losses to Timothy Bradley and Marquez, is undergoing random tests under the USADA.

Pacquiao is eyeing an impressive victory against Rios.

And he wants it clean.