BOXING has long been a sport where skill, grit, and natural ability define greatness. However, the shadow of performance-enhancing drugs looms over the sport, raising questions about fairness, integrity, and fighter safety.
Recent years have seen an increasing number of fighters test positive for banned substances. Still, rather than assuming more fighters are doping than ever before, the likely explanation is that advancements in testing methods are simply catching more offenders. That said, history suggests that cheaters will always find a way to stay one step ahead.
Take the case of Conor Benn, the rising British star who tested positive for clomifene in 2022. Clomifene is traditionally used as a fertility drug, but in sports, it’s known for its ability to boost testosterone levels and mask the use of other banned substances.
Benn’s failed test caused an uproar, leading to his high-profile fight with Chris Eubank Jr. being cancelled. While he has maintained his innocence, the incident cast a split in public opinion as to whether his performances in the ring were purely natural or not.
Benn displayed heavy punching power in fights prior to the positive test, but in the two fights he has been in his two most recent outings, Benn has gone the distance, raising questions on whether his punch power was purely natural or a result of being enhanced.
Aleksander Povetkin, 41, a former heavyweight title contender and 2004 Olympic gold medallist, was recently handed a four-year ban despite being retired since 2021. His case was part of a broader investigation into doping in Russian sports led by the International Testing Agency in cooperation with the International Boxing Association (IBA). The investigation uncovered the presence of ostarine in a sample Povetkin provided in 2014, long before his retirement.
This revelation further tainted his career and raised concerns about the systemic nature of doping within Russian sports. The delayed nature of the finding also highlights the ongoing struggle anti-doping agencies face in catching and punishing offenders in a timely manner.
One thing is clear: advancements in testing are catching more athletes than before. Anti-doping agencies now have the tools to detect even minute traces of substances that could have previously gone unnoticed. Microdosing, designer steroids, and previously undetectable compounds are all being uncovered more frequently.
But as science improves, so too do the methods used to evade detection. The reality is that the most sophisticated cheaters are often ahead of the testers, always looking for the next loophole to exploit.
While stricter testing is necessary to maintain the integrity of the sport, boxing needs more than just improved science—it needs consistent punishments and real deterrents.
Fighters caught using PEDs should face harsher consequences to discourage others from taking the risk. Until then, the battle between doping agencies and those convicted will remain a never-ending game of cat and mouse.
