Dan Rafael of ESPN.com is reporting that the proposed boxing super fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather is now off due to disagreements over drug testing.
The much-anticipated showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, tentatively scheduled for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, has collapsed, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
“The fight’s off,” Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, said from Las Vegas.
The fight died after a last-ditch attempt at mediation between Top Rank and Golden Boy, which represents Mayweather, failed in an effort to determine the drug testing protocol.
The fight died after a last-ditch attempt at mediation failed in an effort to determine the drug testing protocol.
Pacquiao had agreed to move off his hard-line stance of refusing a blood test inside 30 days before the fight, but Mayweather wouldn’t budge off his desire for random testing all the way until the fight, Arum said. Nor would Mayweather agree to a public apology for remarks he made accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, Arum said.
“I am very disappointed that we could not make this fight for the fans and I am angered because of the false accusations from Golden Boy and the Mayweather camp that I used some type of drugs, and that is why I have instructed our American lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit to clear my name,” Pacquiao said in a statement.
Arum said Pacquiao would move on and likely fight junior middleweight titlist Yuri Foreman on March 13 or March 20.
Payout Perspective:
This could be a last minute tactic to publicly pressure Mayweather into accepting the fight, but they haven’t got much time left. The date of March 13th is quickly approaching and any delay in the deal would likely force the fight back to May. Conversely, this could also just be an attempt by Arum to cast Mayweather and HBO as the scapegoats for why one of the biggest boxing fights of this generation will not happen.
Pacquiao will look to fill the fight date of March 13th, which will still draw well. However, it’s not going to put the kind of press pressure on March’s MMA events that the super fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather would have.
OMG, freaking Mayweather and his stupid ass accusations! Just cuz the guy has kicked some ass! This blantant accusations needs to stop, how can a professional come and say stuff that he has no evidence off!!
Publicity stunt. The question is was the fight ever really going to happen or just use the super fight to promoter one or both guys. Or is this just a fake delay to promote the match that will happen. Everytime one guy comes out with a demand or comment its all over the sports page and ESPN. Just typical boxing BS imo and why i quit following the sport ages ago. You can never tell whats real and what isnt. It worse than WWE. Whats next? The obligatory prefight press conference tussle?
Also why is Pac Man refusing random testing? I believe all the boxers are on something. HGH, diuretics, anabolic, etc every one of them. But to refuse just makes you look guilty. Just agree to the testing as long as both are randomly tested there should be no problem.
I don’t think Pacquiao is taking any performance enhancing drugs. He’s just annoyed with Mayweathers tactics and doesn’t want to give in to that. Mayweather is known for his antics and I hope it kicks him in the butt. I really do hope this fight happens and Pacquiao shuts him up. I like Mayweather. I respect his boxing abilities but I don’t like his attitude and his mouth.
As long as Pac Man fights someone who cares. Mayweather is boring as hell. Mayweather has made more MMA fans than The Iceman and Randy Couture combined. I am glad Manny isn’t going to waste his time with that loser all he would do his tuck his chin and run the whole fight.