By Luis Sandoval
In a recent interview with USA Today, trainer Freddie Roach expressed suspicion about Juan Manuel Marquez’s physique in recent photographs as he’s looked extremely muscular and bulked up compared to how Marquez has looked in the past. Roach feels performance enhancing drugs may be the reason for Marquez’s newfound muscular body.
Marquez’s current strength and conditioning coach Angel “Memo” Heredia has a history of supplying performance enhancing drugs to other athletes so to see Marquez bulked up like never before automatically raised a lot of eyebrows.
BoxingScene caught up Freddie Roach during the Manny Pacquiao Media Day at the Wild Card Gym and asked if he and Pacquiao’s team had asked for any additional drug testing to ensure Marquez is not taking anything illegal.
“Well, we tried to get testing done but they refused to do it so we didn't get the voluntary drug testing. It has to be voluntary and they said no. So what are we going to do? We're going to do what we can but it's not going to help him though because [we'll] kick his ass no matter what,” revealed Roach.
Marquez was a considerable underdog going into the third bout with Pacquiao last year mostly due to him not looking good at his previous attempt at Welterweight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Marquez looked soft, bloated and lethargic in that fight but now looks the complete opposite.
Heredia has indeed been the difference and now Marquez faces some of the same scrutiny Pacquiao has faced for several years during his successful climb in weight.
You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @truewest007. You can also tune in to Boxingscene’s official audio show The Boxing Lab every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.