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Manny Pacquiao - Source: Reuters -
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The WBO welterweight title bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr and
Manny Pacquiao next March will not go ahead due to the American's
demands for Olympic-style dope testing procedures, promoter Bob
Arum said on Thursday.
Arum, who represents the Filipino champion, said using blood tests
for the highly anticipated fight on March 13 was unprecedented for
professional fights in Las Vegas.
"As far as I'm concerned, the fight is off," Arum told Reuters in a
telephone interview. "We don't object to more extensive drug
testing, even though it's certainly not required in Nevada.
"What we're saying is that the drug testing he is proposing is
intrusive and would disturb Pacquiao's training if it's done within
30 days of his fight."
Pacquiao had agreed to have blood taken for testing before the
initial media conference and after the fight but would not agree to
have blood drawn within 30 days of the bout.
Testing Demands
Mayweather's camp, represented by Golden Boy Promotions, has called
for random blood and urine sampling prior to and after the fight as
mandated by the US Anti Doping Agency.
Arum suggested the testing demands by Mayweather were the
American's way of ducking the fight.
"My gut feeling is Mayweather doesn't want to do the fight and this
is his excuse. Period."
Pacquiao was to defend the World Boxing Organisation title he won
in November by stopping holder Miguel Cotto in the 12th round in
Las Vegas for his unprecedented seventh title in seven weight
classes.
The best pound-for-pound showdown between Pacquiao (50-3-2) and
unbeaten Mayweather (40-0) was expected to be among boxing's
biggest revenue-producing fights.
Arum said he could not agree with the testing demands as a matter
of protection for Pacquiao, who believes blood testing would weaken
him that close to a bout.
The promoter said more extensive testing agreeable to Pacquiao
could have been arranged.
"We're saying let's use the drug testing agencies that test
athletes in the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball because they are
used to dealing with professional athletes, and they take random
urinalysis.
"That is far less intrusive than taking blood which has an effect
on the athlete because it's not just a prick of a pin, but actually
drawing an extensive amount of blood."
Arum said he was not confident about a compromise, seeing
Mayweather's blood-testing demands as a way to "sabotage" the
bout.
