LAS VEGAS -- Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo had varying takes on the recent drug testing scandal surrounding one of their division rivals.
As previously reported by BoxingScene, Tijuana’s Jaime Munguia tested positive for exogenous testosterone surrounding his May 4 unanimous decision win over France’s Bruno Surace, 26-1-2 (5 KOs). The former WBO junior middleweight titlist and current super middleweight contender has proclaimed his innocence and says he is prepared to comply in any way that will help clear his name.
The timing of the news break came just ahead of a weekend loaded with significant bouts in the 168lbs division, all taking place in Las Vegas.
Chief among the action, Plant, 23-2 (14 KOs), defends his interim WBA super middleweight title against Mexico’s Armando Resendiz, 15-2 (11 KOs). The former IBF titlist is a longtime advocate for a clean sport but didn’t have much to say on what he’s read on this particular topic.
“All that will play out. We’ll see how that plays out,” Plant told BoxingScene and other reporters on Thursday. “No thoughts, just thinking about Saturday night.”
Charlo, 33-0 (22 KOs), also carries tunnel vision into this weekend as he is set to face Thomas ‘Cornflake’ Lamanna in the evening’s chief support. Still, the former two-division titleholder had plenty to say on Munguia’s test result.
“I heard he was on steroids, right? I read about it. It’s crazy, though,” noted Charlo. “See, Jaime Munguia OD’d. He did some goofy shit, he OD’d.”
The unbeaten boxer from the greater Houston area later expounded on his comments, though his accusations are based on misinformation.
Charlo is a longtime critic of SNAC – the famed sports nutrition company founded and headed by Victor Conte. The program is a strong supporter of stringent drug testing as contracted through VADA, the program who caught Munguia as the rest of a post-fight urinalysis.
“I exposed them, right? I exposed them,” Charlo claimed, referring to past comments about the company. “Was I the only person who exposed SNAC? I never lied to y’all in my career.
“Hear me out, no bullshit for real. They make the drug at the limit of non-responsible. This level is, you’re banned. They will make the drug to that limit where it don’t show, so they’re not responsible. They’ve been doing that shit for years. Now that they’ve tapped into it, they’re getting caught.”
Munguia was not enrolled in SNAC for his rematch with Surace or at any other point in his career. The popular Mexican boxer was trained by Eddy Reynoso for the entirety of this camp.
Plant is a longtime SNAC-sponsored athlete, though he doesn’t need any reason to live a clean life.
“It ain’t no good,” Plant said of the longtime hidden usage of banned substances in the sport. “Every time the bell rings, we’re risking our lives in there. We make it from the bottom and try to make something of our lives. It ain’t no good. We’ll see what it plays out and we’ll be able to make a fair judgment from there.
“My dad has always been a big believer in always telling me, one thing we ain’t, are cheaters. I just think it ain’t no good. You just go to the gym, put the work in, diet right, get into the ring and let the chips fall.”
Plant stopped short of tagging Munguia as a dirty fighter, given the active investigation into the matter. He’s repeatedly mentioned Munguia as a potential future opponent, as recent as after Wednesday’s open media workout at Mandalay Bay’s Casino Floor.
While all focus is on his secondary title defense this weekend, any future thoughts on a Munguia fight will have to wait until the investigation is complete.
“The only fight I want right now is Armando Resendiz,” noted Plant.
Munguia did his best to address the matter in a statement released through his verified social media accounts.
“Several experts have explained that there are multiple ways contamination can occur,” said Munguia shortly after the news made the rounds. “I am fully willing to undergo any retroactive, current, or future testing to demonstrate that I have always been a clean athlete. Throughout my boxing career, I have undergone numerous anti-doping tests and have never tested positive.
“I was tested twice during this training camp, and both results came back negative, which is why receiving this notification of an adverse finding has been a complete surprise to me."
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on and .