Mosley testifies to EPO use before fighting De La Hoya

[chamiley]

Associated Press

Updated: December 3, 2008, 1:55 AM ET

NEW YORK -- "Sugar" Shane Mosley told a grand jury in 2003 that he injected himself with the doping agent EPO as he prepared for a fight against Oscar De La Hoya, according to court transcripts and doping calendars reviewed by the New York Daily News.

The transcript of the boxer's testimony was part of a BALCO file that was under a protective order before U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston decided last Wednesday to allow prosecutors to share thousands of documents with Barry Bonds' lawyers.

Mosley has acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs but has denied knowing the drugs were banned or illegal. His attorney, Judd Burstein, told the newspaper the testimony is consistent with what his client has said publicly.

"I am very relieved that this grand jury testimony has been released because it confirms that Shane has consistently recounted his dealings with [Victor] Conte from 2003 to today," Burstein said in a story posted on the paper's Web site Tuesday night.

Conte, the convicted steroids dealer who founded the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, has said he saw Mosley take EPO during a meeting in which Mosley was told the benefits and risks of performance-enhancing drugs and how to use them.

Mosley, who beat De La Hoya in the 2003 junior middleweight title bout, is expected to fight Antonio Margarito on Jan. 24 for the WBA welterweight championship.

Bonds' trial is scheduled to begin March 2. Baseball's career home run leader faces charges of making false statements and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to a grand jury about whether he took performance-enhancing drugs. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

[mike_tha_man]

What they gonna do, take his wins back

[Memphis]

Im no expert when it comes to performance enhancing drugs but if someone said to me here try this stuff, all you have to do is inject it into your blood stream alarm bells would be ringing. Maybe there are legitimate performance enhancing substances that need to be injected?

[antimoron]

How does oscar react to this... now that they are business partner too.. he must be pissed..

[Dizaster]

LOL that's funny that he said he didn't know... You don't put a needle into your body without knowing exactly what the substance is, and the consequences of it going in there..

As any lawyer would say though, your best defense would be to say that you didn't know it was a banned substance..

I'm a huge fan of Mosley and is one of the gentleman of the sport.. Boxing can always use more guys like these, and it'll be a shame if this blows up and puts a stain on his career and boxing..

[Dizaster]

Im no expert when it comes to performance enhancing drugs but if someone said to me here try this stuff, all you have to do is inject it into your blood stream alarm bells would be ringing. Maybe there are legitimate performance enhancing substances that need to be injected?

Actually yeah that's a thought.. I wouldn't have thought that sports people need to inject anything as part of their training regiment, but at such an elite level, who knows... Still it's poor judgement for any person that that elite level to put anything into their body to enhance training or performance in any way without knowing the full extent of it's allowed usage...

Strange..

[Master]

It is not strange it is a shame that he is injecting himself. I thought Oscar won the second fight, the decision should be reversed or at least a no contest.

[CGM]

LOL that's funny that he said he didn't know... You don't put a needle into your body without knowing exactly what the substance is, and the consequences of it going in there..

As any lawyer would say though, your best defense would be to say that you didn't know it was a banned substance..

I'm a huge fan of Mosley and is one of the gentleman of the sport.. Boxing can always use more guys like these, and it'll be a shame if this blows up and puts a stain on his career and boxing..

Agreed. Although maybe he really didn't know it was illegal, who knows. What's really hard to believe is when they say they didn't know they had taken performance enhancers in the first place. As if a well tuned athlete such as Marion Jones for example doesn't even recognize the things that were happening to her own body.

[Wayne]

How does oscar react to this... now that they are business partner too.. he must be pissed..

No doubt Oscar's pissed, but he'll never say a word. It's funny, but I bet his wins won't be declared no contest when he took something that made him perform better, whereas fighters who have tested positive for marijuana, something that has 0 effect on your ability to fight, have had their wins voided. That makes NO sense.

[the_PRODIGY]

How does oscar react to this... now that they are business partner too.. he must be pissed..

No doubt Oscar's pissed, but he'll never say a word. It's funny, but I bet his wins won't be declared no contest when he took something that made him perform better, whereas fighters who have tested positive for marijuana, something that has 0 effect on your ability to fight, have had their wins voided. That makes NO sense.

Oh brother..I think you're underestimating the power of marijuana..it makes you real smoooove..when taken before boxing it makes you an RJJ...I mean smooooveeee.

[albsur2006]

Yeah, Shane knew what he was doing with EPO. Athletes at that level are ridiculously informed on nutrition, especially a gym rat like Shane Mosley. Putting a needle into your body without knowing what your injecting, is almost unfathomable for a regular person much less a star athlete. These people really thought they were never gonna get caught.

[ross]

Either Shane has always taken this stuff which is why he was so explosive and quick (never really a very skilled stylist) or he took it to move up in weight so much.

Id say the former is right, his performances dropped off after he was found to be using them and id like to see samples taken from him for his last fight as well, I just cant see how a man Shanes age can muster up that explosiveness in the last seconds of a 12 rounder that he was getting worn down by a tougher stronger man known for his ability to take punishment

Boxing is very currupt still, in that it doesnt test each and every boxer every time they enter a contest, allowing the big money makers to keep the sport buzzing, even though they juice to keep there skills, Mosely, Toney and Jones being the high profile names that come to mind but who are still allowed to make millions after ruining other peoples careers through cheating.

I remember Tommy Morrison admitting he juiced big time to get to heavy weight and he saw lots of other boxers doing it as well.

[AdamGB]

I don't know how relevant the administration he used is. There are plenty of illegal substances that can be taken Orally.

[Taeth]

Regardless Oscar beat him either way, I think Oscar is more pissed about being robbed in a fight where he totally controlled Shane.

[antimoron]

How does oscar react to this... now that they are business partner too.. he must be pissed..

No doubt Oscar's pissed, but he'll never say a word. It's funny, but I bet his wins won't be declared no contest when he took something that made him perform better, whereas fighters who have tested positive for marijuana, something that has 0 effect on your ability to fight, have had their wins voided. That makes NO sense.

Oh brother..I think you're underestimating the power of marijuana..it makes you real smoooove..when taken before boxing it makes you an RJJ...I mean smooooveeee.

red bull energy drink is far more illegal than taking EPO...