Mike Weaver Interview II: My View on Steroids, Rio Olympics XXXI, Wilder vs. Povetkin
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In a Real Combat Media international interview exclusive, former World Boxing Association World Heavyweight champion Mike ‘Hercules’ Weaver, commenting from his home in California, spoke out on the controversy of testing results and procedures for Performance Enhancing Drugs for participating athletes before the upcoming Summer Olympic Games XXXI in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 5 to 21, 2016, and the rescheduling of Deontay Wilder’s next defense against Alexander Povetkin later this year in Russia.
Robert Brizel: “Deontay Wilder versus Alexander Povetkin was postponed by the World Boxing Council after Povetkin’s sample ‘B’ tested positive for the performance enhancing drug meldonium this past spring. Povetkin’s Andrey Rybinskiy stated he stopped using the drug in September 2015, when it became officially banned as of January 2016, and the test revealed 15 times lower than the established limit by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA). Wilder stood to earn four million dollars, and reported had seven figures in training expenses. Wilder wants the Povetkin fight and the big payday no matter what.
Alexander Povetkin: “I am a clean fighter, and I have not been taking meldonium since it was prohibited.” (Statement made after Wilder vs. Povetkin was postponed)
Robert Brizel: “Wilder and Povetkin both want to fight each other, regard less of the circumstances.”
Mike Weaver: “If Deontay Wilder wants the fight, and Alexander Povetkin wants the fight, why not let them fight?”
Robert Brizel: “Back when you were a fighter between September 1972 and November 2000 (Weaver fought 60 pro bouts), did you or any athletes you fought or knew use Performance Enhancing Drugs?”
Mike Weaver: “No.”
Robert Brizel: “Were you tested for Performance Enhancing Drugs, even back then?”
Mike Weaver: “Yes, we got tested.”
Robert Brizel: “In what states were professional boxers tested? Nevada? Other places?”
Mike Weaver: “Nevada did and still does comprehensive testing, among other places where I fought.”
Reader’s Note: Mike Weaver fought in Nevada fourteen times during his career. This included both WBA world title bouts with Michael ‘Dynamite’ Dokes, as well as bouts with Lennox Lewis, Pinklon Thomas, Bernardo Mercardo, and Leroy Jones, Dwain Bonds, Stan Ward, Abdul Khan, Oliver Philipps, Mike Creel, and Billy Joe Thomas, Tony Anthony, and Jody Ballard.”
Robert Brizel: At least ten member nations have spoken out declaring the Russian Olympic team is using Performance Enhancing Drugs and is cheating, and should be banned in its entirety from the Rio Olympic Games. The Russian Track & Field team has already been banned. Your thoughts on the current Olympic controversy.”
Mike Weaver: “All of these athletes were apparently tested for Performance Enhancing Drugs in advance. I guess they are out (those who tested positive before the Olympic Games in Rio) but for those out there, to appease the public, everyone needs to be tested again (all athletes approved for participation in the upcoming Olympic Games). I think they should test everyone before and after (the Olympic Games) now. Back in the old boxing days, we tested blood and did urinalysis before the fight and after the fight. Same thing. I thought (back in the day) they were testing for everything.”
Robert Brizel: “What do you think of fighters today, using Performance Enhancing Drugs, steroids, and Human Growth Hormones?”
Mike Weaver: “I’m totally against it. I don’t think it’s fair to (illegally) enhance your ability to make you stronger. These days almost everyone is using steroids.”
Robert Brizel: “When you were fighting, did anyone offer you steroids or discuss steroids?”
Mike Weaver: “Nobody in boxing did. Someone I know from the streets, a bodybuilder, offered it to me. I said (in reply to him) I don’t do that stuff. It’s the only time anybody ever offered me Performance Enhancing Drugs.”
Robert Brizel: “Anyone else you knew of using steroids in boxing?”
Mike Weaver: “Not that I know of.”
Robert Brizel: “Did you suspect anybody?”
Mike Weaver: “No, I never saw anybody (using, when I was boxing).”
Robert Brizel: “Three of today’s top rated heavyweights, Alexander Povetkin, Luis Ortiz, and Antonio Tarver have tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs at various times. Do you think they are doing themselves damage?”
Mike Weaver: “I don’t know. If they are using Performance Enhancing Drugs, they are damaging themselves. I don’t know what they are doing (personally), using (PEDs) or not.”
Robert Brizel: “Let’s talk about the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Should amateur athletes on (using) Performance Enhancing Drugs be disqualified?”
Mike Weaver: “If you are trying to cheat using Performance Enhancing Drugs, to be stronger and better, they should be disqualified.”
Robert Brizel: “Should the entire Russian Olympic team be disqualified, or should they be retested first?”
Mike Weaver: “They should be retested first. If they are found to be using Performance Enhancing Drugs, they should be disqualified. I think is anybody is tested, and found to be using (PEDs) they should be disqualified. It’s cheating. I think everyone should be tested first. I don’t think anybody should be disqualified from the Olympic Games without be tested for Performance Enhancing drugs first. I don’t think the entire Russian Olympic team is using Performance Enhancing Drugs, but you could (conceivably) disqualify the whole Russian Olympic team (if they all test positive).”
Robert Brizel: “Mike, are you going to the Olympics?”
Mike Weaver: “No, I’m not going.”
Robert Brizel: Have you heard about the Zika virus?”
Mike Weaver: “I don’t know about that.”
Robert Brizel: “There are those who say eliminating the Russians from the Olympic Games will give other teams an advantage.”
Mike Weaver: “I believe so.”
Robert Brizel: “Where do you draw the line?”
Mike Weaver: “If athletes get caught with illegal stuff in their system, it’s cheating. If not, it’s alright. If athletes get caught using Performance Enhancing Drugs, that’s cheating. That’s where I draw the line.”
Robert Brizel: What are the facts? Do you think all athletes at the Olympic Games in Rio should be tested?”
Mike Weaver: “We have to know the facts (before passing judgment). There has got to be facts (before making statements). All athletes must be tested for PEDs before and afterwards (their participation in the Olympic events). I think that should be done, of course.”
Robert Brizel: “Are the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) and the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) and the Olympic testing facilities in Rio De Janeiro for the upcoming Olympic Games set up to do so much Performance Enhancing Drug testing?”
Mike Weaver: “I don’t know.”
Robert Brizel: “Some athletes could fall through the cracks.”
Mike Weaver: “Some athletes could get around the cracks, there are ways of athletes doing things illegally to get around testing (without getting caught). Everyone wants to cheat and get the benefit, and get the results now. Someone told me if you’re going to take steroids now, it is going to kill you later. I know of a professional wrestler who used steroids. When he was using, he didn’t care, and when he got older he died because of them.”
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