Pacquiao vs Marquez: Steroid Controversy Overshadowing Class in the Ring

It's a shame that steroid talk has once again cropped up before Pacquiao vs. Marquez III, because both fighters don't deserve such treatment.

Last week, former steroid dealer Victor Conte had the gall to point out that Juan Manuel Marquez's new strength and conditioning coach, Angel Hernandez, was formerly Angel Heredia, the ex-steroid dealer who admitted to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes during the BALCO scandal in 2005.

Conte, who was quick to point out that Hernandez received no prison time for his admissions of guilt, clearly had an axe to grind with Hernandez; but he dragged Marquez's name around in the dirt in the process—and that's just wrong.

This is nothing new for boxing, a sport that has seen its fair share of PED-use accusations. But neither Marquez nor Manny Pacquiao deserve this kind of controversy before they get set to clash for the third and final time.

What Conte failed to point out while blasting the Marquez camp was that Hernandez is also known throughout boxing as a great coach—period—without his steroid dealings. He's known to use state-of-the-art techniques to train fighters, which is what he's been doing with Marquez lately.

Pacquiao vs. Marquez III could be the Fight of the Year. Marquez has probably been Pacquiao's greatest foe throughout his career, battling him to a draw and a split-decision. And he's done this because he's one of the great counter-punchers in boxing, a style that matches up well with the aggressively-minded Pacquiao.

Marquez and Pacquiao have given us two classic fights already, but now, the inevitable steroid controversy rears its ugly head.

I agree that Marquez was asking for trouble when he hired Hernandez, because he had to realize Hernandez would be exposed at one point, but for people to jump to conclusions doesn't give Marquez the credit he deserves. He hasn't won so many fights because he's the strongest or fastest in the ring; he's won because he executes his counter-punching style masterfully.

Marquez and Pacquiao have earned more than this.

We need to give Marquez the benefit of the doubt leading up to Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.