Conlan faces Jack Bateson on Friday night in Dublin
Mick Conlan has made the extraordinary claim that most of those at the top of boxing are doping, or have doped in the past.
The 33-year-old, speaking ahead of his fight against Brit Jack Bateson (20-1-1) on Friday night, with a 19-3-0 record having lost two of his last three fights.
He said doping is “massive” in boxing, but says he would never take performance-enhancing drugs as he wants to be proud of his career when he retires.
“I think [doping is] massive,” he said “I think America was much ahead. Russia, they had always been ahead.
“I think the UK, in a sense, is definitely catching up and there’s people in the UK who are actively doping.
“I always said I would never do it because, at the end of my career – whether I achieve or whether I don’t achieve – we will look in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve done it my way. I’ve done it the right way, I’ve done it clean.’
“Where, as time has gone on, I think these people will look in the mirror and say: ‘f*** it, I’ve won. Everybody else was doing it’. That’s what I think.
“I think most people – at the top end in this game – have done or are doing some sort of PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs).
“And, whether it’s legal doping or not, who knows?”
Bateson: No pressure on me in Dublin
Ahead of Friday’s fight at the 3Arena, 31-year-old Leeds fighter Bateson said: “There’s no pressure on me because most people who are asked to pick a winner will pick him, because I am fighting in his home.
“But it’s the sort of opportunity I have been crying out for.
“There’s no animosity between me and Mick, I think he’s a great fighter.
“I am best mates with all the lads in the gym but when the bells goes, we beat 10 bells of s*** out of each other – and then the bell ends and you’re hugging again.”
