Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
WBN Editor
Legendary trainer says serious injury a concern
In the wake of a spate of boxers testing positive for banned
substances on both sides of the Atlantic, ‘Hall of Fame’ trainer Emanuel
Steward believes that the powers that be need to take a tough stance to clamp
down on performance enhancing drugs in the sport.
Steward, who currently trains heavyweight king Wladimir
Klitschko, is disappointed with the latest failures and says that things need
to change rapidly to avoid a tragedy in the ring that could end up in the
courts.
“It’s a very serious matter,” Steward told World Boxing
News. “If not corrected, it will change the course of boxing outcomes.
“We are looking at serious damage to the fighter who is not
on the drug if he is in the ring with one who is.”
Many in the sport are calling for compulsory blood tests to
be introduced for all fighters as soon as a title fight is signed in a measure that
would hopefully clean up the sport in the short term and eventually eradicate the practice
altogether.