By Jonny Stapleton

ANDY Lee believes there is substance behind the suspicions surrounding Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and performance enhancing drugs.

After getting an up close and personal view of the WBC middleweight world champion’s behaviour before, during and after a major fight the Irish fighter said the rumours surrounding the Mexican could be founded.

The Kronk southpaw was stopped by the undefeated champion within seven rounds last month and as a true fighter was wary of making excuses.

Limerick southpaw, however, still doubts whether or not the fight played out on a level playing field.

Lee claims Chavez Jr got stronger as the fight went on – a point Derry middleweight John Duddy made after he fought “The Son of The Legend”- and stressed his teams actions out side the ring raise concerns.

“There is suspicion surrounding him, there really is. Before I signed to fight there was suspicion surrounding him and performance enhancing drugs. He has failed a test before, they said it was diuretics in Nevada, but we don’t know.  From what I saw down there, the way the fight was handled, the way he acted before, during and after the fight the suspicion has good grounding and there is a lot behind it,” Lee told Skys Ringside.
“In the training camp I was sparring big super middleweights and with big gloves and head gear on I was hurting all those guys. I was standing my ground, but with him the harder I hit him the stronger he seemed to get. He didn’t take a drug test after the fight. He said he
took it before and there are doubts about that. I am not making excuses. I took my chances going down there and I knew those were the condition I would be facing and it jut didn’t work out, that’s boxing.”

Chavez Jr's stoppage win surrounded controversial to say teh least