Controversy erupted Saturday night before Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito even got in the ring.
A weight loss supplement was seen in Margarito’s dressing room before the fight, and Pacquiao’s team demanded that he be tested before the fight for possible banned substances. Texas officials, though, said the testing would be done after the fight as usual.
The weight loss supplement was reportedly Hydroxycut, sold over the counter.
Roach associate Billy Keane was in Margarito’s locker room saw a bottle of something he believed to be Ephedra or a substance containing Ephedra. He then alerted Roach, who complained to the commission.
“I saw them try to give [Margarito] Hydroxycut and caught them,” Keane told Yahoo! Sports via text message. “He had coffee loaded with Splenda and sugar. The doctor said it was his choice to take the pills, but it would probably come up in the [post-fight urinalysis]. I did not see him take any pills.”
Hydroxycut was linked to liver damage and rhabdomyolysis in a 2009 report issued by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Margarito trainer Robert Garcia was complaining about the way Pacquiao’s hands were wrapped and was insisting they be re-wrapped. The commission approved the wrappings.
The controversies were not expected to delay the start of the fight. Top Rank president Todd duBoef said both sides agreed to put the dispute behind them and take it up after the fight.
Margarito struggled to lose the last few pounds this week to make the 150-pound contract weight for the fight.
Despite these controversies, the boxing match will still go on.
Stay tuned for more updates.
