Marquez denies doping, says he is 'a clean fighter'

Juan Manuel Marquez shook off rumors that he had taken steroids coming into his fourth fight against Manny Pacquiao, telling the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire, "I am a clean fighter."

The Mexican, who scored a vicious sixth round KO of the Pacquiao, Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, also predicted that his pre and post-fight urine samples will come back clean.

In addition, he told Pugmire that for his next bout, "I'd like to do Olympic-style anti-doping tests with my opponent."

Marquez had shown up for training camp with an extremely buff physique, despite being 39-years-old.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, leaped to the conclusion that it was because of Marquez's relationship with strength and conditioning coach Angel "Memo" Hernandez, who infamously supplied performance-enhancing drugs to runners Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery.

Roach went so far as to tell USA Today, "If [Marquez's body] is natural, I will kiss his ass."

Marquez had denied Roach's accusation, saying at the time, "I have never done this type of work before. That's why my body has changed. I have been working very hard, specifically to get more strength"  

Ironically, prior to the Marquez bout, Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather settled a defamation lawsuit, regarding Mayweather's comments that the Filipino had taken performance-enhancing drugs.

According to Pugmire's report, the Nevada State Athletic Commission did not perform a random drug test on either Pacquiao or Marquez during training camp. The results of their pre and post-fight tests are set to be released on December 17. - AMD, GMA News