"He seemed really cool. The first time we went, he was just a real nice guy and the more we kept meeting, the more we set up plans for stuff like the hypoxic training- the high altitude simulation. I took my blood test to see what was missing in my blood to keep me stronger. He was explaining to me all the scientific things about what my body needs through the results that he got. But most of all, he was just a great person to begin with. I told him, ’If I’m going to work with you, we’ll tell everyone that I am willing and ready to be taking any kind of tests that they want.’ Just because I’m working with Victor, I’m not playing an unfair game. To be honest, Victor is a very, very nice guy and I’m proud for them to be part of my team and for me to be a part of SNAC, to do their stuff and it makes a difference for me. He’s just been great for me."
Donaire believes so much in Conte’s regimen and supplements that he has already referred him to other world-class fighters. Other notable boxers that work with him are Andre Ward and Eddie Chambers. The blot of working once again with Conte seems to be lessening as times goes on.
From his office, Conte said a few weeks ago to Maxboxing, "I did this television interview a couple of days ago with Eddie Chambers and they asked him this question: Is he afraid about this stigma and had people been asking him questions? And his answer was, in his opinion, that Victor had paid his debt and I think know everyone has moved beyond that. He said when it came down to making the decision regarding working with me- and these are Eddie’s words and I felt very flattered that he said that- but he basically said why should I deprive myself of the opportunity to work with one of the best minds in sports? He said, ’I see the upside and it’s easy for me because I want that as part of my support team. So that’s something that’s in the past.’
"There have been- and I think in the world of boxing, Andre Ward was the first one that said I deserved a second chance- and then others, thereafter. Karim Mayfield was one; Steve and Eddie Chambers, I’ve helped them for their last two fights and now, Nonito."
Virgil Hunter, who trains Ward, said, "Being a Christian man, myself, I felt he paid his debt to society. I think he’s a man that boxing truly needs and I know a lot of people that say, ’Once a convict, always a convict’ and it’s unfortunate. I think he’s very sincere in his immediate endeavors to be an asset to the sport. I think the sport needs someone like him."
Ward utilizes SNAC products such as Vitalyze, ZMA and Aerobitine on a regular basis while training. There was a time when boxers eschewed such nutritional supplements, believing that all that was need to replenish the body was lots of water, three square meals and a B-12 shot a day before the fight. Hunter, who is 56, considers himself a blend of the old and new-school philosophy.
"Coming through an era of new technology and stuff, I’m definitely a believer in new technology," said Hunter, a native of Oakland, who says he was heavily influenced by the likes of Bobby Warren, Jimmy Simmons and Charlie Smith, trainers that he learned from as a youngster. "I think other sports do it and they try and prove the benefits of it. Athletics is big business now and I think it’s a trainer’s job to continually look for things that can improve his athlete. I’m definitely an advocate of that."
Hunter referred Conte to Rob Murray Sr., who handles the career of the Chambers brothers.
But others aren’t nearly as forgiving; to some, Conte will always be a pariah who simply has no place in professional or amateur sports. He understands that this is the price- along with the time he spent in federal prison- for his past transgressions.
"That’s something that I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life. I think it’s just the way it is. Some are unable to forgive. Andre’s a Christian guy; the whole basis of Christianity is forgiveness. So I feel very grateful to Andre because he was one of the first ones that we talked to and he said, ’Man-to-man, just promise that you’ll never give me anything that will be harmful or cause a positive drug test and that will be the last time I ask you that.’ And I think when someone leads the way, it makes it a bit easier for others," he says.
The fact of the matter is, anyone who consults with Conte and SNAC is probably under more scrutiny than their counterparts. You can expect it to be part of the deal.
"I’ve said that in the past, if there are clean athletes out there, it’s the ones working with me," said Conte. "Because they will, in fact, be target-tested. Marlon Byrd (of the Chicago Cubs), who’s having the best season of his career, he’s been among the leading batters National League. He told me, as a 32-year-old player, he had been tested about five times a year. The instant that we announced that he was working with me last season (as a member of the Texas Rangers), he was tested 11 times. So if you got nothing to hide and you’re clean, it’s a cost-to-benefit ratio and if the athlete believes there’s a benefit there in working with me, then they’re willing to pay that price. If it means having your blood drawn or giving a urine sample and dealing with that inconvenience, fortunately, they are willing to do that."
In an ironic twist, he has found an ally in one Dr. Margaret Goodman, who, at one time, was the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board for the Nevada State Athletic Commission, who has been out-spoken on the usage of illegal performance-enhancing drugs in boxing and the need to overhaul the current testing system. The two have corresponded on a regular basis in the past several months.
"Margaret Goodman is somebody that has kind of stood up for me and I heard Andre recently, where he did an interview here locally, that’s one of the things he said, ’Look, the guy is now trying to do what he can to help clean up the sport and introduce new and better and more effective types of drug testing.’ And Margaret has stood up for me and, of course, her and I have had a lot of communication. And I’m really a big fan of hers and I would like to see some independent anti-doping program in place and I think Margaret would be the perfect person to head that up."
Now, even those who were his staunchest critics, who were ineffective in catching the likes of his past clients like Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, are coming to the grudging realization that Conte can be utilized as an agent of change.
There’s no need to convince Donaire; he is as big an advocate of Conte as you will find.
"This is the first time I’m working with Victor and working with SNAC and I’m actually very proud that I did and I’m connected with them. It makes a huge difference," he states. "And, for me, I hardly eat because I’m a starving kid. I go down from 140 to 115 and I don’t usually eat. He always encourages me to eat but sometimes I can’t make my weight if I don’t have that discipline. He gives me meal replacements to give me energy and a lot of strength to go on longer. But all the things so far, I’m really, really surprised because I thought, ’Oh, I’ll try this. We’ll see what happens.’ When I did and started taking what I was missing in my blood test, what was low was zinc and iron, I started taking the iron pills to maximize the oxygen absorption and the HypOxygen and now, it threw my old self off. It could not compete to where I’m at right now.
"I feel good every training session. Robert Garcia (Donaire’s trainer) can tell you a lot; I’m in good shape and I just feel a whole lot different."
But this camp hasn’t necessarily been easy and Donaire admits that getting down to the junior bantamweight limit will be a struggle. "Last one," he says. "This is enough for me." At 27 years old, his 5’6” frame can no longer fit comfortably into 115-pounds. After this contest this weekend, he speaks of going all the way up to 122 pounds, completely hopping right over the bantamweight class. "Especially now that I’m taking all these supplements, my body is recovering more, therefore, it’s not really taking and eating my muscle like it used to. So for me, losing weight is really hard this time around. But I still have the energy to compensate doing extra work."
If it sounds like Donaire has gotten a bit of an education in the way the body works, it’s because he has. Most boxers (and those who work with them), when it comes to this type of knowledge are like BETA in a DVD world.
"I think I’m in Blu-Ray right now," Donaire jokes. "I’ve gone beyond DVD; it’s just insane. At first, they didn’t let me do plyometrics and all this strength training because it was bad for you; it was getting you slow. But actually it was increasing your leg movement; it was increasing my lateral movement; it was increasing my strength from my upper body to my lower body. It was increasing me overall. Now, with the nutrition, eating the right food and having the proper recovery when your body is being torn apart in training. I mean, you’re just at a different level. This is a new way of doing things. There are guys out there who are disadvantaged because they don’t understand the proper benefits of dong all the things that I’m doing."
One of the reasons why Conte has been able to gain entry into this sport is two-fold: first, it is the last of the “Wild, Wild West” and often unregulated and, secondly, because many of the beliefs- reagarding training and nutrition- are downright archaic and outdated.
"I think it’s combination of the two," Conte agrees. "The training methods utilized in boxing, there are those that are definitely ’new-school’; don’t get me wrong. I think the majority are still using ’old-school’ methods and those that are open and want to be on the edge and to have the latest available technology serve them. Those are the ones who are the top performers."
Donaire says of their relationship," I actually like hanging out with Victor; he’s just very intelligent and he knows his stuff. It’s so funny because sometimes he can just talk like a master and I’m just there in awe about what I learned from him and I constantly learn. It’s just a lesson with him every time I meet him and that’s one thing that I learned- is to accept new things for my body, from more absorption of oxygen to increasing my blood cells. All that stuff. That’s what he’s doing with my body and, like I said, I’m willing to be tested for anything because I believe that what he’s giving me is legit.
"I believe what he’s doing for me is good for me. With that, I’m I can honestly say that I’m feeling really good."
FINAL FLURRIES
Anyone as completely bored by the latest installment of “Top Rank Live” from Reno as I was?...Francisco Contreras was shown to be as raw as sushi on “Friday Night Fights” on ESPN2. He’s heavy-handed and stuff but he really needs some training and a lot more rounds. He’s not nearly as good as his record indicates...As for Joseph Elegele, he learned that guys hit back sometimes...I really like the two kids that didn’t make TV on Friday night, Randy Caballero and Gabino Saenz, who I understand have a bit of rivalry. Both scored early KO’s...Lots of boxing this Friday night. ESPN2 has Henry Lundy-John Molina, while “ShoBox” has a doubleheader featuring welterweights Antwone Smith and Mike Jones and Telefutura (which has been disappointing, thus far, in its return) has Vicente Escobedo facing Ray Beltran...If you go onto www.snac.com and click on “Athletes.” it’s pretty eye-opening to see some of people that they have worked with. By the way, SNAC stands for Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning...So the Lakers signed Steve Blake. That’s great but what does that mean for Derek Fisher?...Judging by some of these NBA free agent contracts that Drew Gooden and Darko Milicic have recently signed, my question is this: Is HBO now running the front office of some of these franchises? Some of those deals that those guys signed are downright Paul Williams-ian or Andre Berto-esque...Seriously, Joe Johnson to a max-contract? This is Allan Houston all over, again...Is the World Cup over yet? Haven’t heard nearly as much about it since last Saturday for some reason...Is Seantrel Henderson really going to ditch USC for Miami? Randy Shannon may have just found his left tackle of the future...I can be reached at k9kim@yahoo.com and you can follow me at www.twitter.com/stevemaxboxing. You can also become a Facebook fan of Maxboxing at www.facebook.com/MaxBoxing.
