By Keith Idec
LAS VEGAS – Adrien Broner indicated Tuesday that he and Manny Pacquiao underwent Voluntary Anti-Doping Association testing leading up to their fight Saturday night because Broner demanded it.
“It was VADA testing,” Broner told a small group of reporters Tuesday after making his “grand arrival” at MGM Grand.
When reminded he mentioned during a press conference November 19 in New York that the United States Anti-Doping Agency would administer the performance-enhancing drug testing, Broner replied, “It’s VADA testing, yeah. I’ve been tested, yeah. After I made some noise, but yeah.”
Pacquiao, 40, knocked out Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. That marked the first knockout for Pacquiao since he stopped Puerto Rico’ Miguel Cotto in the 12th round of their WBO welterweight title fight in November 2009.
Broner didn’t disparage Pacquiao’s impressive victory in his last fight against Matthysse. The former four-division champion wasn’t interested, either, in discussing the differences between the VADA and USADA testing programs.
“I don’t know,” Broner said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. You trying to get real technical or some sh*t.”
VADA tests on behalf of the WBC for its “Clean Boxing Program.” USADA is the official testing agency for the Olympics, including the U.S. Olympic Boxing program.
VADA testing generally is less expensive than USADA testing.
“I don’t know what’s better, bro,” Broner said. “I just know they take blood and piss.”
Cincinnati’s Broner also knows he is satisfied with the PED testing administered leading up to his showdown with Pacquiao on Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“I feel real comfortable,” Broner said.
Broner didn’t want to elaborate on what he meant by saying he “made some noise” regarding drug testing for his shot at Pacquiao, the WBA world welterweight champion.
“Everybody seen it,” Broner said. “It went viral.”
Broner referred to a video he released late in December, in which Broner contended neither he nor Pacquiao had been tested for PEDs to that point.
The Philippines’ Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) is commonly posted as about a 3-1 favorite against Broner (33-3-1, 24 KOs, 1 NC). Their 12-round, 147-pound championship bout will be the main event of Showtime’s four-fight, pay-per-view broadcast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT; $74.99 in HD).
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
