Anthony Joshua’s extreme measures to avoid being ‘called a CHEAT’ and having his legacy ruined revealed by Eddie Hearn
EDDIE HEARN has revealed the extreme measures Anthony Joshua goes to in order to avoid ever failing a drugs test.
Countless fighters in both boxing and MMA have tested positive for banned substances due to accidental ingestion of tainted food or supplements.
Some combatants have even popped for PEDS as the result of having their food or drink SPIKED, a fact which has prompted AJ to implement an incredibly strict approach to what he puts into his body.
Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn told GRM Daily: “Whenever I go to a restaurant with AJ, I’m looking at the food thinking, because there’s some horrible f*****s out there.
“You put something in that food and your career is over.
“And imagine, everything that you built, all because of one evil individual, comes crumbling down.”
Joshua, 34, is so concerned about potentially ingesting a banned substance that he won’t drink anything other than pre-approved and sealed beverages after his fights.
Hearn continued: “Here’s another example. After a tough fight, you might get in the ring and someone – either from the other team or wherever – and they’ll come up to you and offer something to drink.
“What’s in that? Do you know what I mean? I’m not saying that there is anything in there, but there could be.
“So at the top level, like AJ, every bottle is tested.
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“Every bottle is sealed. Nothing comes in the changing room.
“You have to because you’re correcting your career, your brand, your reputation.
“The worst thing in the world is testing positive for having not knowingly taken a substance.
“Then you’re called a cheat for the rest of your life despite never having done it.
“I’m paranoid in that world because I know what people are like.”
Boxing has been rife with failed drug tests over the last two years, the most recent and high-profile being Ryan Garcia‘s failed tests ahead of his clash with Devin Haney.
And Hearn believes the majority of positive tests are the result of fighters trying to give themselves an unfair advantage in the ring.
He said: “I think 20% of failed drugs tests are legitimately fighters that are unlucky or have unknowingly taken a substance
“I think 80 per cent of people cheat. And establishing what’s what is very difficult to do.
“Because fighters are never going to take illegal substances themselves.
“Someone will come up to them and say, we need to improve your strength and what we can do is take some of this.
” And maybe they won’t even tell them it’s a banned substance. But a lot of the time people are genuinely cheating.
“And we’re talking about testing to minute trace levels that would be in your blood.
“And in Mexico, there is a genuine thing where some meat contains testosterone.
“And fighters test positive for that. Things like eggs, you don’t know what people are putting in animals.”
Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua will be back in action on September 21 when he locks horns with IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois in a huge domestic dust-up at Wembley.