Bradley: HBO Cut Scene Where Marquez Agreed To Tests
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By Rick Reeno
According to WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, HBO cut a very important scene from a recent episode of their "Face Off" series, which is hosted by Max Kellerman.
Early in the negotiations for his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, Bradley was requesting that both fighters use VADA [Voluntary Anti Doping Association] to regulate their drug testing protocol. Marquez rejected VADA and wanted to use rival organization USADA [United States Anti Doping Agency].
Marquez doesn't like VADA because of their relationship with conditioning coach Victor Conte, who has an ongoing rivalry with Marquez's strength and conditioning coach Angel "Memo" Heredia. Bradley prefers VADA because he feels their tesing procedures are more strict.
In order to satisfy both sides, Bradley was willing to use both VADA and USADA - if Marquez was willing to get tested by both agencies.
According to Bradley - Kellerman put Marquez on the spot about agreeing to them terms of Bradley, by having both fighters tested by with USADA and VADA - and Marquez agreed to Bradley's proposal during the taping.
However, Bradley*claims the entire scene was cut from the episode - and then afterwards*Marquez rejected the idea of using both USADA and VADA. Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum had to involve the Nevada State Athletic Commission to run the testing protocol.
"I said 'this is what I'll do, I'll do your testing and I'll do VADA testing. I want you to do both testing.' And nobody seen this.....but on HBO, on the Face Off, he agreed to doing the damn two tests. They didn't put that [in the episode]. They didn't put that out. Hell yeah they cut it out. Damn right they cut it out. He agreed to do both tests, because Max put him on the spot. He said '[Bradley] is willing to do both tests to satisfy you guys, are you willing too' - and [Marquez] said 'yes.' Then a few weeks later he reneged on the testing, and that's when the commission got involved to save this fight," Bradley said.
"To me this sh*t is suspicious. I don't give a damn what anybody say. I'm not saying he's on anything because I'll get sued or whatever, but it's too damn suspicious."
Bradley defends his title against Marquez on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. HBO Pay-Per-View is carrying the fight.