Pacquiao vs Marquez: Conte Says JMM Is Working With Steroids Dealer, Beefs With Ariza
by Scott Christ on Nov 1, 2011 10:37 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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You may have already seen this reported elsewhere, but let's talk about it here, too. Yesterday on Twitter, former BALCO chief Victor Conte said that Juan Manuel Marquez is working with a steroid dealer and former "rat" named Angel "Memo" Heredia:
JM Marquez is working w/ admitted steroid dealer Angel "Memo" Heredia (Hernandez on 24/7). Heredia testfied he supplied PEDs to Marion Jones
He later noted that Heredia was a "star witness" for the government:
Angel Heredia was the star witness for Novitzky and the government against many athletes. He got no time in return..
A New York Times article from 2008 sheds a bit more light on the subject:
Angel Guillermo Heredia is identified as Source A in the felony indictment. He agreed to be a cooperating witness three years ago when, according to court filings, investigators confronted him with evidence of his drug trafficking and money laundering. Since then, Mr. Heredia said, he has provided prosecutors with documentation and with the names of many elite track athletes and Olympic medal winners.
And so the plot thickens a little bit for Pacquiao vs Marquez. I don't think you have to "trust" or "believe in" Victor Conte to see that Marquez working with Heredia doesn't look good, and particularly because Heredia is trying to hide his identity to some degree.
But at the same time, if Conte wants forgiveness, can Heredia not have the same? I understand what he's saying, that the two men are not the same (" I refused to testify, accepted the full consequences of my mistakes and did the time that I deserved," Conte said) but to most of us, they're at least on the same boat.
How seriously do you take Marquez's association with Heredia? Is this something that concerns you in regards to fair play, and the hope or belief that top fighters aren't cheating the system?
As for Conte, today he shifted his attention to Alex Ariza, Pacquiao's strength and conditioning coach. The two have traded words in the media in the past, and worked "against" one another in July when Amir Khan (Ariza) fought Zab Judah (Conte):
(1) Alex Ariza seems intoxicated by his minor celebrity. He hasn't "beat" anybody in boxing. Fighters & head trainers win or lose fights (2) If Ariza can "beat" Angel Memo Heredia, then Memo may introduce Ariza to his friend Jeff Novitzky. Wonder if Ariza could handle Novitzky?
As much as many share the sentiment that Ariza has become, in some ways, a bit of a media nuisance, I can't help but note the hilarity of Conte, who is talking more and more and more and more every month, it seems, slamming anyone for being "intoxicated by his minor celebrity."
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Here's why Conte and Heredia/Hernandez aren't in the same boat for me
Snitching your clientele out to avoid doing hard time and then changing your last name to hide from it all does not show any type of remorse or acknowledgement that you were wrong. I’m not saying Conte’s an angel and we should indeed continue to be aware of his past but at least he is TRYING to redeem himself and by all accounts is actually inviting the hard questions and scrutiny in an effort to clear his name and show that he has changed.
Heredia/Hernandez is doing no such thing. He hasn’t given any indication that he is even asking for forgiveness or trying to make a change. He’s doing the opposite of taking accountability for his past involvement. I know this site is for boxing discussion and not as much social commentary per se so I don’t want to get into too much debate about snitching and my personal feelings/experiences with them but I will say that Conte and Heredia/Hernandez are not at all in the same boat to me.
Not only that
But while the us government is on Conte’s back, I doubt the Mexican government would do the same. Half the steroids illegal in boxing can be obtained perfectly legally there.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
by Brickhaus on Nov 2, 2011 5:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm not agreeing with or denying the accusation,
but does Conte offer any evidence for his assertion?
Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"
He doesn't as far as I've seen
Having said that, if you check the photo in the NY times article with the 24/7 episode it very clearly is him (unless he has a twin brother). The question is if team Marquez knew about this before hiring him. Either way they probably are aware of it know because in an interview with tv azteca Marquez was told of comments from Ariza regarding doubts about how fast he grew up to which Marquez responded he’ll take any test they want any time.
Hilarious actually.
Conte calling any kettle black…even an iron pan…is borderline hysterical. The man whose name is synonomous with steroids should just do his job and move along.
I believe in second chances, absolutely. But do so with grace and humility.
"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali
Exactly
He’s lucky that he isn’t banned for life from all sports (he should be, imo).
As far as i’m concerned this Heredia guy working with Marquez is hardly any different than Conte working with Donaire, Berto, etc.
After all, boxing testing is hardly foolproof. Far from it. Conte could be cheating again and we wouldn’t even know it. All the while he runs around accusing others while sporting his disgusting, fake looking, pencil ‘tache.
I’m surprised Conte gets the respect that he doies, like he’s some paragon of virtue.
His opinion means very little to me. He’s a convicted fraud.
+1
Sometimes the pot is calling the kettle black the better to avoid being called black itself. That’s what’s happening here. I loathe a snitch, but snitching is what exposed the others, and it’s all the good he ever has to do imo.
I really do loathe a snitch, however.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
PAC/MARQUEZ
Poor judgement in the Marquez camp using this sleazebag coach. PED’s aside, the real factor in this fight is the age difference. At 38, Juan Manuel just won’t have the legs to stay with Pacman. Pharmacy doesn’t improve reflexes diminished by age either.
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