Floyd Mayweather camp: Manny Pacquiao declines Olympic-style drug testing, fight in jeopardy

Los Angeles Times ^ | 12/23/2009 | Lance Pugmire

[SeekAndFind]

The camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. is claiming Manny Pacquiao is declining Olympic-style drug testing for their tentatively scheduled March 13 megafight, with Mayweather representatives going as far to say that one of the richest bouts in boxing history is in "jeopardy" because of Pacquiao's stance.

Pacquiao has communicated that he'd be willing to give a blood sample only at the kick-off news conference 60 days before the fight, and after the bout, Mayweather representatives claim.

Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr., stated publicly earlier this year that he'd discourage his son from fighting Pacquiao because he suspects the Filipino superstar is using performance-enhancing drugs.

Mayweather's promoter, Richard Schaefer, said he was told earlier today by a Pacquiao promoter that Pacquiao "has difficulty taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight."

Mayweather responded, "It is our responsaibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level."

[SeekAndFind]

Manny Pacquiao, the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven different weight division, is considered the best pound for pound boxer today.


Floyd Mayweather Jr. is rated by The Ring magazine as the number-one pound for pound boxer in the world. He has won six world boxing championships in five different weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. Mayweather is undefeated with 40 wins including 25 by knockout.

[Snickering Hound]

Pacquiao "has difficulty taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight."

[NormsRevenge]

Floyd be shaking in his boots , sounds to me..

[pissant]

Floyd is good at flapping his gums.

[shalom aleichem]

Floyd is a chump. Why follow Olympic rules when this is not the Olympics? Wimp

[jwalsh07]

Yeah, but he’s just as fast as Manny P. Would be a fight to see methinks.

[runninglips]

Sounds like Pacquiao has something to hide no?

[devere]

Mayweather is playing mind games. Maybe he’s scared of losing to Pacquiao. He’d rather stayed retired and undefeated than lose to Manny.

[uncbob]

Seems that way to me

[devere]

“Sounds like Pacquiao has something to hide no?”

That’s what Mayweather wants you to think so he can chicken out of the fight.

Ask Floyd which of his other fights used these special extraordinary blood tests BEFORE the fight. None. Pacquiao has volnuteered to have his blood drawn immediately following the bout, but somehow that’s not good enough for chicken-hearted Floyd.

[CommerceComet]

I agree this should be a great fight. I’d love to see Pacquiao beat the snot out of Mayweather but when you have two very skilled fighters squared off, it is usually wise to go with the naturally bigger guy.

[MainFrame65]

My wife dropped an entry in a box at a Tecate beer display in the local Kroger store, and to our surprise we won a trip to Vegas to see the Maywether-Marquez fight. The trip included airline tickets, fight tickets, two nights at MGM Grand (where the fight took place) and full access for the weekend to the Tecate hospitality suite (snacks, soft drinks, and (of course) Tecate beer, polo shirts, hats, gym bags, lanyards, and other merchandise.

We also received entry to the pre-fight party (GREAT hors d’oveures and open bar, celebrities, pretty girls dancing on tables and posing with folks like us for pictures) and the post-fight party, with more food, open bar, and a rock band to suppress conversation.

But enough of that. The fight was a boxing lesson, and Maywether delivered a new lesson every round. Marquez attacked - or tried to attack - every round, but he connected only once or twice the entire fight. Maywether defended himself well, slipped a lot of punches, picked his spots and countered very effectively.

Much - perhaps a majority - of the crowd was Mexican, and there was a LOT of (good-natured) ribbing between the Mexican and American attendees. Mexican and American flags were all over the place, and people were waving flags and yelling sll over the place during the preliminary fights. But we were sitting right in between some on each side, and they really were smiling and laughing about it all.

So we had a great time, and the price was certainly right!

[uncbob]

Too much $$$$$ involved for Mayweather to want out

Maybe just a head game

[CommerceComet]

But enough of that. The fight was a boxing lesson, and Maywether delivered a new lesson every round. Marquez attacked - or tried to attack - every round, but he connected only once or twice the entire fight. Maywether defended himself well, slipped a lot of punches, picked his spots and countered very effectively.

Off of styles, I didn't think that Marquez had a chance against Mayweather. Mayweather is too big, too fast, and too accurate a puncher to be beaten by a smaller counter-puncher like Marquez. Predictably, Marquez wouldn't find enough counter-punching opportunities to beat Mayweather who would dictate the pace of the fight and the distance at which the fight would be fought.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, will not let Mayweather dictate the pace and will force Mayweather to fight when Mayweather doesn't want to. Pacquiao will force Mayweather into a faster pace than he wants to fight. I just don't think that Pacquiao will ultimately be able to overcome Mayweather's size advantage but this should be a much more interesting and closer fight than Mayweather-Marquez.

Hopefully, you can win another contest to see this fight.