Steroids Don't Help You Land Punches

Joe Rogan and Shakur Stevenson Clash in Heated PED Debate That Has Boxing Divided The debate over performance-enhancing drugs in boxing just exploded into a full-scale war of words. In a clip currently circulating from The Joe Rogan Experience, WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson and podcasting megastar Joe Rogan found themselves on opposite sides of the most controversial topic in the sport: Ryan Garcia's positive PED test following his fight with Devin Haney. According to sources familiar with the recording, Stevenson suggested that PEDs played a decisive role in Garcia's victory over Haney—but Rogan fired back with a technical argument that has since gone viral across boxing Twitter and Instagram. During the wide-ranging podcast conversation, which reportedly touched on Floyd Mayweather's upcoming rematch with Manny Pacquiao and the current state of the lighter weight classes, the discussion inevitably turned to Ryan Garcia's controversial win over Devin Haney—a fight that has haunted boxing for nearly two years. Shakur, never one to shy away from strong opinions, allegedly stated flatly that PEDs helped Garcia secure his victory. It was a direct shot aimed at the controversy that has defined that rivalry since April 2024. But Joe Rogan, the former UFC commentator known for his analytical approach to combat sports, pushed back with a counterpoint that cuts to the heart of how we think about doping in boxing: "Steroids don't help you land punches. They might help you with training and give you more power, but that left hook was on point." What do YOU think? Was Rogan right to separate PED usage from boxing skill, or is he missing the bigger picture?

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