Boxer and former BALCO client Shane Mosley knew he was being given steroids, Victor Conte told the Los Angeles Times in response to a slander lawsuit Mosley filed earlier this month.
Last week, Mosley filed suit after Conte said he is writing a book to "set the record straight" on what Mosley knew about the doping program he undertook for his 2003 title fight with Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley, whose suit claims Conte made allegedly false comments to boost book sales, has acknowledged using BALCO's products. But he said he unwittingly used steroids and didn't know what he was taking.
Not true, Conte said, according to the Times.
"I didn't deceive him; he knew what he was taking and I told him that before he took it," Conte said Tuesday, according to the report.
"He was increasing the percentage of red blood cells with every breath, increasing the number of oxygen molecules to his muscle tissue, which means instead of having shortness of breath during a long workout, your stamina is enhanced," Conte said, according to the report. "We had talked about the benefits of oxygen uptake. ... We talked about the benefit of EPO being at the end of the fight, with his extra stamina and endurance."
Conte said his calendars show Mosley was taking EPO through Sept. 8, 2003, and that he took eight doses of "the clear," and seven doses of "the cream" until Aug. 31, 2003, according to the report. Thirteen days later, Mosley outpointed De La Hoya to win his third world title belt by unanimous decision.
"Yes, I watched that fight, and I remember him winning the late rounds and thinking, 'That was an edge,'" Conte said, according to the newspaper. "Shane deserves all the credit for his victory, but did I feel a part of it? In a certain regard, I guess I did."
Mosley, who is in training for a May 31 fight against Zab Judah, was unavailable for comment Tuesday, the Times reported. But his wife and manager, Jin, told the newspaper "Shane never had a doping calendar or never knowingly took steroids. He was not taking anything labeled 'steroid.'"
And Mosley's attorney, Judd Burstein, said the calendars "don't prove anything," according to the report.
"Shane didn't know what he was taking, and that's completely believable to anyone who knows Shane. He wouldn't know a hematocrit from a chromatic print," Burstein said, according to the newspaper.
De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions company now promotes Mosley, was not available for comment Tuesday, the Times reported.
Last week, Mosley filed suit after Conte said he is writing a book to "set the record straight" on what Mosley knew about the doping program he undertook for his 2003 title fight with Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley, whose suit claims Conte made allegedly false comments to boost book sales, has acknowledged using BALCO's products. But he said he unwittingly used steroids and didn't know what he was taking.
Not true, Conte said, according to the Times.
"I didn't deceive him; he knew what he was taking and I told him that before he took it," Conte said Tuesday, according to the report.
"He was increasing the percentage of red blood cells with every breath, increasing the number of oxygen molecules to his muscle tissue, which means instead of having shortness of breath during a long workout, your stamina is enhanced," Conte said, according to the report. "We had talked about the benefits of oxygen uptake. ... We talked about the benefit of EPO being at the end of the fight, with his extra stamina and endurance."
Conte said his calendars show Mosley was taking EPO through Sept. 8, 2003, and that he took eight doses of "the clear," and seven doses of "the cream" until Aug. 31, 2003, according to the report. Thirteen days later, Mosley outpointed De La Hoya to win his third world title belt by unanimous decision.
"Yes, I watched that fight, and I remember him winning the late rounds and thinking, 'That was an edge,'" Conte said, according to the newspaper. "Shane deserves all the credit for his victory, but did I feel a part of it? In a certain regard, I guess I did."
Mosley, who is in training for a May 31 fight against Zab Judah, was unavailable for comment Tuesday, the Times reported. But his wife and manager, Jin, told the newspaper "Shane never had a doping calendar or never knowingly took steroids. He was not taking anything labeled 'steroid.'"
And Mosley's attorney, Judd Burstein, said the calendars "don't prove anything," according to the report.
"Shane didn't know what he was taking, and that's completely believable to anyone who knows Shane. He wouldn't know a hematocrit from a chromatic print," Burstein said, according to the newspaper.
De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions company now promotes Mosley, was not available for comment Tuesday, the Times reported.
