Agbeko Alleges Foul Play After Morrell KO, Questions Drug Testing Validity

In their second-round knockout loss to David Morrell Jr., eyebrows are raised, and the legitimacy of drug testing during that bout is called into question. Looking disappointed, Sena Agbeko laments that Morrell may have benefited from preferential treatment; this was practiced frequently in the absence of drug testing, and there were a number of strange circumstances surrounding their bout.

After the fight, Sena Agbeko recalls his reaction to being stopped. Initially, he feels short-changed by an early stoppage but comes around to accept that it was a correct decision by the referee. The 31-year-old boxer, who has a record of 28 wins and three losses, says that he signed for testing under WADA, but the commitment was never fulfilled. He cites, for instance, Morrell’s decision to fight in Minnesota rather than Las Vegas, where the testing is more stringent.

With this kind of size difference in super middleweight, a Ghanaian boxer needs to think about cutting weight. Unfair advantage The way Agbeko sees it, he overcame an unfair advantage by engineering his own match with Nate. But what about the fact that Morrell was fighting in Minnesota, where there is no drug testing?

Agbeko’s charge that Morrell sought out a place with little or no drug testing leaves ethical dots in the sport. Although Agbeko does admit that Morrell was the better man when they fought, he urges a good look at drug testing arrangements. Similar polarisation occurs among fans, analysts, and journalists. The lack of hard evidence, though, leaves room for doubt in the minds of those who look at this whole affair somewhat less seriously than most others consider it to be a tragedy.

Looking at the whole course of Agbeko’s career, the Morrell fight is certainly a big mismatch. In 2021, having gone up against just one worthy opponent in the form of Vladimir Shishkin and losing handily, Agbeko’s credentials were already suspect heading into this rematch with Boltikov. The fight to face the rising talent that is Morrell raised eyebrows, considering an apparent gap in ability between these two fighters.

Agbeko’s thinking about going down to 160 pounds also indicates that he is aware of his own limitations in the super middleweight division. The antagonism this gives rise to is like a two-sided coin. On the one hand, he acknowledges Morrell’s strength and technical ability; on the other, he centres attention completely on drug testing alone.

The boxer’s story gains some credibility when he points out Morrell’s ‘record fighting in Minnesota, his adopted home state. It does indeed seem reasonable for Morrell to fight where his fans are thicker, but Agbeko suggests that the fact he is able to do this conveniently coincides with talk of a lack of drug testing in Mississippi. But this argument depends largely on speculation and circumstantial evidence.

Agbeko’s suspicions don’t go just as far as the fight itself. He mentions a lawsuit another fighter has brought against Morrell, claiming a lack of drug testing is business-as-usual at IBF, too. This provides a degree of complexity to the story, hinting at perhaps a pattern in Morrell’s camp. But because there are no concrete details about the actual lawsuit and its outcome, Agbeko’s use of this case could weaken his argument on other matters.

Lacking hard evidence that Morrell ever used PED’s weakens Agbeko’s ‘position. Nonetheless, a lack of drug testing is what he most stresses. He questions if Morrell has everything under control as well, but without official announcements or investigations giving weight to his claims, they don’t have much impact. In order to maintain its legitimacy, the sport must rely on evidence-based allegations. But Agbeko’s assertions are lacking in this detail.

Sena Agbeko’s accusations after the fight about David Morrell Jr. tell a tale of disappointment, suspicion, and frustration. As far as the lack of drug testing and choice of venue are concerned, his concerns are definitely valid. But overall, there’s a feeling that something has been left out here with respect to concrete evidence. We wait for official answers and investigations on whether Agbeko’s allegations are true to reach a just conclusion.