Sep 01 2023 News

'I ain’t seen no VADA for this one' - Says McNally [Smith's trainer] Before Smith vs Eubank Jr Clash

Joseph McNally has disclosed that the forthcoming rematch between Liam Smith and Chris Eubank Jr. has not undergone VADA testing. This highly anticipated match is set to occur on Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester, England and will be broadcasted exclusively on Sky Sports Box Office. Smith triumphed over Eubank in their initial encounter in January at the same location, ending the fight within four rounds. The rematch, initially slated for June 17 and later July 1, will now take place on September 2. The topic of doping has dominated the discussions leading up to this fight, especially given the recent doping controversies surrounding heavyweight Robert Helenius and super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner. McNally, Smith's trainer at the Rotunda gym in Liverpool, commented that Smith hasn't undergone any doping tests by the agency in preparation for his bout with Eubank Jr. In response to McNally's claims, Eubank Jr., aged 33, took to social media to support clean athletes in the sport, prior to defending his 32-3 (23 KOs) record against Smith. McNally retorted by questioning Eubank Jr.’s reference to getting tested by the UK Anti-Doping agency, stating he hasn't seen any VADA involvement in this bout's preparation.

“Chris [Eubank Jr.] made a comment, he was giving the likes of Conor Benn and Robert Helenius and others a bit of sh!t because he’s just had a p!ss test,” McNally said in an interview with ESBR Boxing. Eubank Jr., 33, took to Instagram to slate the names McNally had mentioned, stating that “there’s still clean athletes representing the sport we love”, ahead of putting his 32-3 (23 KOs) record on the line against the Liverpudlian again. “Listen,” McNally continued, “I ain’t seen no VADA for this one. “VADA hasn’t walked into my gym and tested Liam Smith once so what’s [Chris Eubank Jr.] bragging about getting tested by [UK Anti-Doping] for?"

It's worth noting that Baumgardner faced controversy last month following her title defense against Christina Linardatou, and Helenius entered his match against Anthony Joshua on short notice after securing a victory in Finland just a week prior. McNally expressed frustration at the perceived inadequacies of the UKAD testing procedures. He emphasized the seriousness of the sport and how crucial clean competitions are, given the stakes and potential risks involved for the athletes.

“UKAD’s testing is a load of sh!te and it is disheartening and we’re seeing it a lot more because they’re getting caught. “It’s a f------ travesty for the sport because people’s lives are on the line in there and it just shouldn’t be happening.”