Mayweather - Pacquiao is OFF

[EddieG]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/8427743.stm

Floyd Mayweather Jr's planned bout with Manny Pacquiao is off because of a blood-testing dispute, according to Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum.

"As far as I'm concerned, the fight is off," said Arum, referring to the scheduled 13 March welterweight bout.

The American's camp were told by Pacquiao's people that the Filipino would not agree to blood-testing in the 30 days prior to the fight.

The welterweight super-fight was expected to be the richest of all time.

Arum accused Mayweather's camp of raising the issue not because they were worried about Pacquiao taking performance-enhancing substances, but because Mayweather never wanted to fight in the first place.

Arum said Pacquiao would agree to testing by the same agencies that test pro American Football and baseball players, but not for random tests by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach added: "The sanctioning bodies and the state commissions run the boxing world, not Floyd Mayweather.

"Who is this guy to tell us that we have to have blood tests, or urine tests, or any tests? He's just looking for a way out of the fight."

Mayweather associate Richard Schaefer said: "He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight.

"It is unfortunate to hear this from Manny Pacquiao's representatives, particularly since both parties had worked out all other issues related to this fight."

Unbeaten Mayweather's management want both men - regarded as the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world - to submit to blood-testing prior to the bout, to ensure both men are clean.

Schaefer, who is chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, added: "Todd [DuBoef, president of Pacquiao's promoters Top Rank] told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight."

Prior to Arum's announcement, the 32-year-old Mayweather had urged Pacquiao to agree to the blood-testing.

"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," said Mayweather.

"But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level."

But Roach countered: "We have passed every test ever given to us. We go by the commission rules, since when does the fighter make up the rules?

"When Manny gives blood it takes him three or four days to recover from it. I am not going to have my fighter going into a fight feeling weak and not sure of himself.

"Mayweather is scared, and he's just afraid that he's going to get his ass kicked."

The fight had been expected to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the NBA's Lakers was also touted as a possible venue and representatives of Cowboys Stadium in Dallas were also said to be interested in hosting arguably the biggest fight since the turn of the century.

Pacquiao, 31, became a five-weight world champion following his WBO welterweight title win over Miguel Cotto in November, while Las Vegas-based Mayweather returned from a 21-month retirement to beat Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in September.

Arum added that Pacquiao still plans to fight on 13 March and will now look for another opponent.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Eddie 'AW' G

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeah, Mayweather is terrified because his camp want them to do a blood test

Seriously, what an idiot. I still think it'll eventually happen and to my surprise, I'd love to see Mayweather win.

[brenchill]

Yeah I'm suprised I want Mayweather to win, too. If not just to shut Roach up.

[Numbahs]

*cough*hype*cough*

[Guest Sanctimony]

*cough*hype*cough*

EXACTLY.

[caucasianheat]

Yeah, Mayweather is terrified because his camp want them to do a blood test

Seriously, what an idiot. I still think it'll eventually happen and to my surprise, I'd love to see Mayweather win.

Mayweather's request is for random blood testing at any time 48 hours before the fight. It's unreasonable and unfounded. Pacquiao has agreed to give blood right after the fight, which is just as suitable and won't effect his fight performance. I don't think he has anything to hide.

This is almost surely engineered hype anyway. There's no way any of these people are dumb enough to leave this much money just sitting on the table.

[Numbahs]

Pacman is doing his part by saying he'll sue Mayweather...

[caucasianheat]

Top Rank is now tentatively announcing Pacquiao/Paulie Malignaggi for the March 13th date, which is interesting. I still refuse to believe the Mayweather fight is off, but to actually announce an alternate opponent and a date for Pacquiao is slightly baffling.

EDIT: And to bring it full circle, here's Richard Schaefer saying Shane Mosley didn't need to take a blood test a year ago.

Promoter balked at blood testing for Mosley in 2008

By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY

Just last year, Golden Boy Promotions was against blood testing when one of its fighters, Shane Mosley, was asked to submit to it for a fight in Las Vegas.

Mosley, who admitted to taking designer steroids in 2003 inadvertently before a fight with Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya, consented to any form of drug testing before facing Zab Judah but the promoter objected.

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told AP at the time that he'd consent to whatever testing that was required by Nevada State Athletic Commission and nothing more. The NSAC tests urine before and after fights but not blood at random like the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

A proposed March 13 superfight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather has fallen through over Olympic-style drug testing. Mayweather wanted the Filipino to accept random blood testing by USADA. Pacquiao agreed to three tests, including two before their bout.

"Whatever tests they want them to take, Shane will submit to that. We are not going to do other tests than the Nevada commission requires," Schaefer said. "The fact is Shane is not a cheater and he does not need to be treated like one."

Judah wanted testing immediately on Mosley as well as right before and after the bout. Judah was injured before the fight could take place and it was cancelled.

Mosley, who is facing Andre Berto on Jan. 30, is a potential future opponent for Pacquiao.

credit: USA Today

[Blaze09]

I think the random testing is more about if he is using during training (where PEDs would help more in Boxing with the recovery time and whatnot) than the actual fight. I feel it would do no harm to have random testing up to a week before the fight, because once that week come it isn't much they are doing anyway. Plus I think they owe it to the fans to know it is a clean fight with how doping in boxing, and sports period, in today's world.

It doesn't help Pacquiao to not take the test, as it only raises questions about his legacy

[gunnar hendershow]

It hurts Pacquiao to take it right before the fight though. Nobody should have their blood drawn within a few days of something like that. It affects some people in really bad ways, and he's possibly one of those people. Before that it affects his training regimen for the same reasons. Blood testing should only happen after a fight, no reason to do it before. The debate is over doing the blood testing before the fight.

This is either hype or Mayweather wants an out.

[Blaze09]

Then explain this before the Hatton fight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbmqay72a6o

Now it is 30 days before the fight (which is what Pacquiao wants), but a non-random drug test isn't really a test because you can beat a test you know that is coming. It just doesn't help Pacquiao to not take the test randomly.

[caucasianheat]

Why is he even being railroaded into doing a test? Because Floyd Mayweather and his handlers, with absloutely no basis in saying so, decided he might be on steroids? The burden of proof shouldn't be on Pacquiao here; all he's done to "arouse suspicion" is win fights. It's ridiculous that any athlete be treated like a cheater by default for performing well.

Pacquiao's agreed to do a test after the fight. If he wins and tests positive, he'll be like Margarito with all past victories put in question and his credibility shot. If he loses, tests clean and looks like somebody who's cycled off, then there's something to discuss. This is just promotional games on the GBP side by the looks of it. If there was any real suspicion or doubt on Mayweather's side, the fight would never have been signed and announced to begin with.

[gunnar hendershow]

How does that video prove anything? Besides that, I don't know, it was edited and posted by mayweatherfans.com and thus is a pretty poor source of "proof".

Once again, if you want to do a blood test (and the blood tests in question for this fight are different than the ones in that video) then you need to do it right after the fight. Furthermore, the fight was signed and then GBP came out asking for this kind of testing. It's very likely hype in the end, but the burden of suspicion falls on the Mayweather camp for not bringing this up until now as was said above.

[Pesci]

I really hope this is a massive hype job because I really wanna see this fight. I'm not a massive boxing fan but I'll gladly make an exception for this, both men are absolute beasts and you can just tell that this wouldn't be a let down. I think it's bound to happen eventually, both guys probably have a few years left to make it happen and even if they're not in their prime when it does, there's too much money to be made for some agreement not to be reached. Only problem is that both camps seem to be stubborn here. Which is understandable because I see the arguments for each of them.