On Saturday, it was revealed Shannon Briggs who was scheduled to fight on June 3 for the vacant WBA "regular" heavyweight championship against Fres Oquendo had tested positive for insane increased levels of testosterone.
It was a matter of time before the fight would be canceled and that happened on Tuesday when a press release was sent out saying the fight was off and the fight hasn't been rescheduled at this time and it is unlikely it will be.
Last week, we had the opportunity to talk to Oquendo about a variety of topics including the fight. Near the end of the interview, a question was asked on why Oquendo whose fought for the heavyweight championship of the world on three separate occasions felt this chance would go differently. In his response, Oquendo hinted at the rumors which were going around boxing of Briggs being on performance enhancing drugs.
"You know how they say the third time is the charm?," Oquendo told Fightful. "I’m going to make it the fourth time is the charm especially against the perfect opponent in Shannon Briggs whose older than me even though there is a lot of speculation going on in his own world. But I’m not worried about that. That’s a distraction on him. I’m going to be riding clean and do the right thing for the sport and make a fair assessment of my career once I win this heavyweight championship."
While PED usage appears to be trending downward that doesn't mean athletes still aren't doing them. Oquendo (37-8) though doesn't feel the pressure from those on the outside and relies on the work he puts in to how he was raised by his parents.
"Nah because I’m a hard worker and nosed type of Puerto Rican," Oquendo exclaimed. "I’m from a third-world country where my family came from. They blessed us by moving to the United States. They are hard-worked and nosed people. My mom and dad had jobs growing up and here at my advance age because I out advanced nutrients in my body. No.2, I live a clean and happy life. I don’t drink and I don’t smoke. I have a beautiful family, wife and kids that I can’t ask for anything more than that but the world heavyweight championship that’s been alluding me."
Looking at things, PED"s in boxing are still on the uptick. In the last couple years you have had former heavyweight champions in Briggs, Tyson Fury, Luis Ortiz and Alexander Povetkin all fail tests. Oquendo feels PED's is not only hurting the division and the sport but also the bodies of the guilty parties.
"It’s bad for the sport," Oquendo exclaimed. "It’s bad for their health and later in life you going to have kidney problems. You develop so much wrongdoing to their bodies. They just have no clue. These people with so called friends that let them do these things. They are just hurting their lives by just putting these toxic wastes in their body."
