Victor Conte, the controversial and self-described reformed supervisor of several elite boxers’ conditioning programs, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Conte, 74, informed BoxingScene that he will begin chemotherapy treatments shortly, which are expected to last at least three months. The timing come just as his stable’s most gifted fighters launch a string of high-profile bouts, stretching from this weekend through September 13 when four-division champion Terence Crawford, 41-0 (31 KOs) challenges undisputed 168lbs champion Canelo Alvarez, 63-2-2 (39 KOs).

“To have seven fighters on huge platforms in the midst of fighting cancer … this is what I do,” Conte told BoxingScene. “I will overcome this adversity. I have a history of overcoming adversity. And I will beat cancer. I’m still in the saddle. It’s not like I need to get back in the saddle.

“This is what I enjoy. I’m going to continue doing what I do. It’s an exciting time for me in the midst of this health crisis I’m dealing with.”

Conte’s reference to prior adversity is linked to his work as mastermind of the notorious BALCO lab earlier this century.

Designer steroids – specifically, “the cream” and “the clear” – led to his being convicted and sent to federal prison in 2005. Conte pled guilty to distributing steroids and money laundering, while linked to baseball’s home run king, Barry Bonds, Olympic sprint champion Marion Jones and Hall of Fame boxer Shane Mosley, among others.

The 2003 federal raid of BALCO, the dragged-out, tense courtroom sessions and the impact of his prison stay on his family led to his reformation as an outspoken anti-doping advocate for the past 20 years.

He rehabilitated his image by providing information to authorities at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and others about how his doping program could beat loopholes in drug testing. From there, he created a new line of legal conditioning supplements under the SNAC (Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning) banner, used by dozens of fighters such as Crawford, Devin Haney, 32-0 (15KOs), Claressa Shields, 16-0 (3 KOs), among many others.

“Once I decided to do the right thing, I can tell you the changes I recommended were applied in the WADA Code,” Conte said. “I changed the world.”

The following SNAC-sponsored fighters are all due to fight in the coming weeks:

WBC/WBA super middleweight titlist Franchon Crews-Dezurn, 9-2 (2 KOs), who defends against Citlalli Ortiz this Friday in Verona, New York;

WBC super-flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, 21-0 (14 KOs), who seeks to unfiy versus IBF titleholder Phumelela Cafu, 11-0-3 (8 KOs) on July 19 in Dallas, Texas;

WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios Jnr, who also fights on July 19 versus Manny Pacquiao, 62-8-2 (39 KOs) in Las Vegas;

Shields defending her heavyweight belt July 26 in Detroit versus Lani Daniels, a show that also includes SNAC client Samantha Worthington in a 140lbs women’s fight;

and Crawford versus Alvarez.

There is also the possibility of a Haney fight this summer, depending on where talks are for a high-profile opponent on his next targeted date.

Conte revealed that conversations with his oncologist, gastroenterologist, primary physician and others consulting him leave hope for recovery from a diagnosis that is often grim.

“The cancer’s at an advanced stage locally but has not spread to any other organs in my body,” Conte said. “I’ll do chemo weekly for three months – maybe four – during which doctors hope to shrink the tumor enough to be able to go in and remove the tumor with NanoKnife surgery.

“That’s the plan.”

Conte has been plagued by digestive issues leading to the diagnosis, causing two separate hospital stays and a 40-pound weight loss before his decline responded to effective treatments. 

Asked if he is afraid, Conte said, “No, not really. I have a great support team. My wife is doing a great job. I did some immune-function vaccines [this week] before I start the chemo. I have a great team of smart physicians who are all kind and I feel great about the outcome.

“The team of physicians are very positive, too. The great news is it didn’t spread beyond my pancreas. I’ve got a stint implanted in my bile duct. My appetite is back after losing the 40 pounds … it’s been a very difficult time. I’m just glad to be able to continue to do what I do. None of this is about money. It’s never been about making money for me. I’ve got a ton of money saved. I get to do what I love to do with the people I love to work with.”

Conte has long advocated for his fighters to enroll in fight-camp testing supervised by the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).

Not everyone has warmed up to the concept, though most from clients’ opponents. The most significant – and recent – case was Ryan Garcia, who submitted three positive tests for the banned substance Ostarine after his originally ruled majority decision over Haney last April.

As Garcia complained Conte’s connection to VADA is too cozy, the outcome was converted to a No-Contest by the New York State Athletic Commission and he was suspended for one year.

Conte is involved in enrolling Crawford in VADA testing and ensuring that Alvarez is enrolled and subject to random testing, as well. He has made no secret of his ongoing prescribed use of testosterone and the use of his own SNAC products. Certain ingestion and application of those products did not contribute to the adverse effect of his cancer diagnosis, he insisted.

“Not at all,” cited Conte. “I’ll be 75. Things happen. Why you develop cancer … a lot of people I know have developed cancer at an earlier age than where I’m at. If anything, [the SNAC product] ZMA, with Zinc, boosted my immune system when I needed it most.

“Cancer attacks your immune system. This is why I had to go to the E.R., and remain on a continuous IV, antibiotics and all these other things.”

Once answers emerged from his health decline, Conte said, “I’ve always felt the outcome was going to be positive, in part because all of my doctors on this team have been so positive. That’s what gives me the confidence to deal with this adversity – knowing I’m surrounded by this brilliant team of experts.”

During this three-plus months of action by his fighters in rings across the nation, Conte will be putting up the fight for his life.

“Even during these tough times, I feel blessed to be in this position and do what I love the most,” Conte said. “[T]o be in the trenches with world-class athletes, helping them achieve historic performances.”

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.